A Turk in Trouble
by Tengoko
Summary: Elena’s mistake almost cost a Turk his life. With everything to prove, nothing to lose, Elena gives everything to the job. But, what if she goes too far. Can the Turks still help her. M for romance and language. Complete
1. Ticking Time Bomb

**Tengoko: This is the first fan fiction I've written that focuses soley on the Turks. It was long overdue. After all, they are the coolest characters in the game. Anyway, reviews would be greatly appreciated, so please, don't hesitate to click that little button at the bottom of the screen there. Enjoy.  
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****Disclaimer: Since this gets so tedious, I'm only going to put it in the first chapter as a staple for the others. So, I don't own Final Fantasy VII or anything affiliated with Square-Enix. I only write this story because I love the Turks.  
Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 1: Ticking Time Bomb**

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Just a little bit longer. That's all she needed, and then she would be done. Mission complete. Yes. It had been so long since she could say that. Usually, she failed, and her failures haven't gone unnoticed by Tseng or Rufus for that matter. She had to succeed this time. To prove to them that she did belong in the Turks, to prove to herself that she had what it took.

Her fingers expertly began punching the buttons on the bomb that she had snatched from Rude. She'd worked enough with them to know what she was doing, and the beep that told her that the bomb was activated now was proof enough. Sticking it on the wall, she watched the timer, 04:59. She had five minutes to get out. That was more than enough time.

"Elena!" she heard. They were still looking for her. She was impressed as she half expected both of them to have given up by now. "Where the hell is she?"

Down below, on another level, Reno and Rude were frantically searching for the other Turk. The security alarm had been tripped, Elena's handy work, and as they were about to abandon the mission, Elena had yanked the custom made bomb out of Rude's hand and taken off.

"She's gone too far this time," Reno snapped at Rude, looking down every corridor. "If we get killed, she's to blame."

"She's only trying to help," Rude defended.

"She's a stupid broad." Reno kicked a door down only to find an empty room. He groaned at his frustration and kicked the doorpost. "Damn woman!" he shouted.

"We'll find her, Reno," Rude said, walking passed him. "Elena!" They heard footsteps above them, prompting Rude to call out again. "Elena, is that you?"

"Stop!" The sharp command brought their eyes back down as three security guards filed into the hall. "Freeze! You are under arrest!"

"No. We're not." Reno and Rude pulled out their pistols at the same time and opened fire. The guards were down within seconds. "See what she's gotten us into?" Reno said to Rude. "Elena! Cut the crap and get your ass down here!"

Elena ran towards the doorway and pushed the white, round button beside it. It was the sort of door that couldn't be opened otherwise. But, much to her horror, the door made a sort of sound that could be compared to a wheeze, and then shut down. "Oh no," she whispered. It was the only way down.

"Elena!" The voices were getting closer.

"Reno!" she shouted, pressing against the door. "Get out of here! I set the bomb!"

"But, where are you?" Rude called back. "We aren't leaving without you, Elena!" They were supposed to. It was part of the code. 'Do what you could, but in the end, save yourself.' But, they all knew that none of them would abide by it. Too much had happened between them, they were too close. They wouldn't just leave somebody behind to die, even if it was the rookie.

"Please. Listen to me! Go!"

"Damn it, Laney. You know we aren't going to do that!" His voice sounded closer…and Elena nearly screamed when she heard somebody pound against the door. "Are you in there?"

"Yes," she cried, stepping even closer. "But the door is jammed. You're going to have to leave me behind."

"We can't do that," Rude said, kicking the door.

Reno backed away and looked around, trying to find something that could help him pry the door open. Rude continued to bang on it, knowing full well that his strength was no match against the titanium alloy.

"Guys, I don't want you two to get hurt because of me."

"Well, damn it, Laney. What did you expect?"

She shook her head sadly. "Not this."

"Are you near the bomb?" Rude asked.

"I can see it, if that's what you mean."

"How much time is left?"

Elena turned around and squinted her eyes. The digital, green light was hard to discern from her distance, but eventually her eyes adjusted. "Less than two minutes."

"Can you disarm it?"

"I don't know how," she admitted. A normal bomb could have been done easily, but Rude had just made this one. She wasn't familiar with it; just knew how to set it. "Look, you two need to go. There's no sense in all three of us getting hurt."

"Elena…"

"Tell Tseng…tell him that I'm sorry. But hey…at least I finally complete a mission, huh?" It was meant to be good-humored, but suddenly, she heard Reno growl and then a series of loud poundings on the door.

Reno was furious, and he began shouting. "YOU ARE SUCH A DAMNED PAIN IN THE ASS! I KNEW YOU'D SCREW THIS UP! YOU SCREW EVERYTHING UP! DAMN IT, LANEY! YOU FUCKIN' ROOKIE. YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE COME!"

She backed away from the door and suppressed the tears that were dying to fall from her eyes. Turks didn't cry. Even at the end, they didn't cry. "I'm sorry, Reno," she said, turning to face the bomb. "But, look on the bright side. You won't have to deal with me anymore."

"Elena…" Rude said, but she could barely hear him over Reno's pounding.

"I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU DIE!" She heard gunshots, and assumed Reno had pulled out his gun and shot at the door. It didn't work. Thirty seconds left.

"I'm scared," she admitted, getting closer to the door. There was no sound, and she took it as a sign that they had finally left, abandoned her to death. But, then she heard a creaking sound, and the door began to shift. Fifteen seconds left.

She caught a glimpse of Rude, one hand propped against the wall, the other on the door, prying it apart. His foot was planted in front of it, making sure it wouldn't slide back. "Hurry, Reno. I can't…hold it much longer." Ten seconds left.

Elena felt somebody tug on her wrist and she was yanked towards the opening that Rude had made. She collapsed on top of Reno, who fell back against the stairs with a sickening crack. One second.

Elena only saw a mass of blue. Reno had turned over and was now on top of her, sheltering her from the blast. She looked to the side, shielding her eyes, and briefly saw Rude being blown back. He didn't even cry out. Elena put her arms around Reno, pulling him closer to her, thinking that if she just held him, he'd be okay.

Then, it was over. The sound of crackling flames could be heard, but the worse was over. She heard a faraway groan and knew that Rude had survived. Of course he had survived. He was Rude; and that was damned near indestructible.

Reno got off of her quickly, ignoring the pain in his head, and staggered over to Rude. "Elena, get your ass over here. Help me get him up."

"I'm fine," she heard, but she got up anyway and hurried to his side.

"Damn," Reno breathed, hearing the footsteps coming up the stairs. "More guards. Come on, Rude. We're going to have to jump."

"Right," he grunted, as Reno and Elena dragged him to a busted window.

Rude looked down. Four stories down. On normal occasion, it would be no big deal. But he was hurt. Even he knew was much, that he had limits. This was it. He unhooked his arm from around Elena and Reno's shoulders and reached up to take his shades off. He breathed on them and then wiped them on his shirt before replacing them. "If this is the end, I'm going out in style, and without help."

"This isn't the end," Reno said, pulling his sunglasses down too. "Just another adventure."

"Damn right it is," Rude laughed, clapping his old partner on the shoulder. Then, they both looked at Elena, who was staring down at the ground below. "Laney, just close your eyes and go for it."

With that, Rude smiled and then jumped. Elena couldn't watch, but before she tore her eyes away, she felt Reno's hand on her wrist again. "Ready…or not…" and then he pulled her with him, off the edge, and down

Elena screamed shrilly. The world seemed to race to meet her, and her whole body jolted horribly. It was all she remembered before the cold cement on her face and the wet puddle seeping into the pant leg at her ankle. She couldn't move, could barely breathe.

She heard Reno groan, and that was it. She strained her ears for Rude, but no sound came from him. Oh gods, he was dead. He was dead, and it was all her fault. She always screwed things up. Never succeeded in her mission. Now, that she had, somebody had to pay for it…with their life.

Reno hesitantly pushed himself off the ground and looked around. Rude had landed a few yards away, but was already sitting up. He turned to look at Elena. She wasn't moving. He tried to stand, but a pain in his shin only knocked him back down. Damn, this was almost as bad as jumping off the Sector Seven Pillar onto a helicopter.

"Is…she…?" Rude couldn't move anymore either. His leg was broken and his arms hung lifelessly at his side. He lowered his shades to look at her, only to see what Reno saw. She was still. "She's not…?"

Reno crawled over to her, dragging his leg behind him, and put a hand on her shoulder, turning her over. Her eyes were closed now, she had slipped into unconsciousness. There was blood on the side of her face and her breathing was slow and labored. Reno tore open her shirt and began feeling her torso, checking for broken ribs.

"Gods…Laney."

He took her hand in his and looked back at Rude. Nodding to let him know she was still alive, Rude let out a sigh of relief. "That's good news." He smiled at Reno, but Reno seemed to be somewhere else.

She was supposed to be his responsibility. Tseng had told him to keep an eye out for her, that she was still inexperienced. He failed. Damn rookie. She always had to make everything so damned difficult for him. Ever since she became a Turk, Reno had to always look after her. He'd only failed once before…and had vowed never to do it again. He closed his eyes and squeezed her hand. She had succeeded in her mission. He had failed in his.


	2. Doubts and Convictions

**Tengoko: Methinks I like this story. Is that conceited to say? Oh well. If it is, then it is. But, only three reviews? C'mon, people. I want to know what you think. Do you love it? Hate it? Adore it? Abhor it? Tell me. Well, anyway, I don't want to waste anymore of your time. So...enjoy!  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 2: Doubts and Convictions**

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It was so hard. Working with him for nearly five years, she had come to somewhat revere him. To her, Rude was the closest thing to a god she would come to, a man with little words, boundless patience, and vigor like no other. She admired him, the enigmatic Turk. That's why she couldn't stand to see him hooked up to wires, to see his leg and arm done up in casts.

She lay a few feet away, her own arm in a cast and her head bandaged. She didn't care. She had hurt Rude. That's all that she could think about. Pain. Pain was irrelevant. Particularly her own pain…but not his. She caused his, all because of a rookie mistake.

"Hospitals are so miserable," Rude said, staring up at the ceiling. "I hope they let us out soon. I'm dying to lie in my own bed."

"I'm just relieved you are okay," she admitted, smiling faintly at him.

"Laney…don't do that. You know I hate when you get all schmaltzy." He smiled back at her, his baby blue eyes twinkling with humor. It wasn't often that she saw them- his eyes- and the mildness of them belied the stern Turk facade that he usually maintained. "Women," he snorted.

"I know," she conceded. "I'm sorry."

"For what? Being a woman? I don't think that could be helped, Laney." He smiled at her again, and became a little upset when she did not. He knew why. It was obvious. "I don't blame you," he told her, his voice more somber. "This could have happened to any one of us."

"But it didn't," she retorted. "It happened to me. I disobeyed Reno's orders and almost got all of us killed. If I had just listened to him, none of this would have happened."

"Did I just hear you right?" he asked, faking bafflement. "Did you just say, you should have listened to Reno? Just wait 'til Reno hears about this one. You'll never hear the end of it."

"That's if he ever talks to me again," she said.

"Of course he will. How else is he going to boss you around?"

Elena was about to rejoin, but unexpectedly, they both heard a torrent of voices outside the door. Three men, all conversing about something very intensely. She couldn't make out every word being said, but she picked up the occasional, 'good for nothing,' 'inexcusable,' 'careless,' and 'go to hell.' It was no mystery as to who or what they were talking about.

The voices died down all at once and the door opened. Tseng was the first one to enter, his footsteps slow and his hands clasped behind his back. Rufus was next, his face fixed in a disappointed frown. Reno was behind them, neutral, his eyes flickering back and forth between Tseng and Rufus. Elena couldn't help but notice his slight limp.

"Two weeks," Tseng said. What it meant, Elena didn't know. It must have showed. "That's how long we have to wait for Reno to be operational again. Five weeks. That's how long we have to wait for you. Eight weeks. That's when Rude will be able to come back."

"Eight weeks!" Rude exclaimed. He wasn't prone to outbursts, so everybody in the room was staring at him in amazement.

Tseng finally nodded. "Yes, Rude. With a fractured femur, it'll be a while before we can put you back in the field. Don't worry. You'll be on a paid leave. As will Reno and you too, Elena."

"I doubt we need to tell you how serious this situation is, Elena," Rufus Shinra began.

"You are on probation," Tseng said impersonally. "Too many missteps. This one almost cost the lives of all of you. I hope you understand that."

"How long is her probation?" Rude asked, seeing the horror-struck look on Elena's face.

"Until further notice. You do know what that means, don't you? No more errors. Not even one. You will be watched very carefully until we decide you won't be making anymore. But, should you mess up again, it will result in your instant and permanent termination."

"Bull shit," Reno mumbled, causing Rufus and Tseng to cast him reproving stares.

"You have something to say, Reno?" Rufus asked.

"Damn right I do," he shouted.

"Reno…don't," Elena begged.

"We've all made mistakes, Tseng. Even you have. Don't chastise the girl for trying to get the job done."

"That's not why we are punishing her. Her determination isn't the problem Reno. It's the way she went about it. She disregarded your orders, put your lives in danger…"

"But we are still alive. And, she completed the mission."

"Why are you fighting us on this?" Rufus asked. "For years you have been trying to convince us that the girl doesn't belong. It's noticeable that she gets under your skin, and, let's face it, she's got a lot to learn about being a Turk."

"Kindly remember," Rude began, "that you would be dead without this 'girl.' Also, let's keep in mind that this 'girl' is still in the room, so let's stop talking as if she is not."

"Either way," Tseng said. "We won't have our minds changed. She's just lucky we have decided to give her another chance."

With that, they smiled tersely at her, and Rufus and Tseng left the room, closing the door behind them. Of course they left. They never stayed longer than needed. It had always been that way.

Rufus' case was logical. He was president. That job entailed many responsibilities and he couldn't be expected to wait around in a hospital room. With the war finally at an end, and Midgar being restored, she was surprised that he even came at all. But, then again, he always admitted he had a profound, everlasting respect for the Turks.

Tseng was another matter entirely. He made a point of being indifferent, especially where she was concerned. At first it had been to warn her off, to end a ridiculous school girl crush. But, perhaps it had become a habit of his to treat her that way. Even with the infatuation over, Tseng still handled her with a lack of interest.

Reno cursed after them, but stopped once the door clicked. Turning back to face Elena, he slowly made his way to her bedside and sat in the chair next to it.

"If it makes you feel any better, I've been on probation more times than I can count. And hell, I'm still here."

"But, you are a good Turk. You know how to finish a job without getting anybody hurt."

"I didn't do such a good job of that today," he laughed, nodding towards Rude and then looking back at her. "Hell, two of my team members ended up with the asses stuck in these damned hospital beds. I did something wrong."

"Yeah, you brought me along."

"Damn it," he groaned. "Don't start with that whole self-pity thing. There's nothing you can do about what happened back there, so forget about it. Trust me, Rude and I have had worse injuries and we've jumped right back from them in a heart beat. Don't worry about us, Laney. We're big boys. We can take care of ourselves."

Not another word was said. Reno had the art of wrapping up a conversation without truly trying, and now was a prime example. How could she possibly respond to that? But he was mistaken. There was something she could do about it. Work. That's all. Work harder, become better, better than the best. In that way, she would prove her value, prove she deserved to be a Turk.

She looked down at Reno was messing around with an unlit cigarette, coiling it with his long, nimble fingers. Then, she looked at Rude. He wasn't really doing much of anything. Just lying back looking tranquil as usual. That was Rude. She had come to expect those kind of mannerisms from him.

She smiled just as she realized Reno was looking at her now. It was almost too much. His eye were such a severe blue. Mako infused. Gods, they were so haunting. Daunting to say the least, and Elena could only guess why he was looking at her, scrutinizing her in a way.

"I'll do better next time," she promised, smiling and winking at him.

"Damn right you will," he teased. Or was he serious? It was hard to tell with Reno. Finally, he looked away from her and down at his cigarette. Letting out a long winded sigh, he stood up and put the cigarette behind his ear. "Well, it's time for a drink," he said, scratching his cheek. "I'll see you guys later."

He didn't look back as he left. He was gone before the door closed behind him, keen to get liquor into his system. Gods know what else he planned on doing to consume the night. Gambling? Most likely. Fighting? It was a possibility. Even with a hurt leg, Reno was impulsive. Not the kind of man to pass up a good fight. Womanizing? Definitely.

Rude chuckled, drawing Elena's interest to him. "That man's always in a hurry," he commented. "Eager. Always eager. You think he'd have matured by now, but Reno will be Reno."

Elena smiled in agreement. There was no changing him. He'd always be the same. Reno. A man that could be describe as a laid back opportunist with self confidence in abundance, a plethora of arrogance, and inscrutable. She wished she just had a trace of his conviction. Then she wouldn't be doubting herself as she was now.

"Rude," she started.

"Hmm?"

"Do you think I have what it takes to be a good Turk?"

It took nearly a full minute before he answered. But, she didn't mind. That's the beauty of Rude. You asked him a question and he wouldn't just pop an answer back at you. He would mull over it for a while. So that way, Elena knew she could expect nothing but honesty from him. "Elena, you have the potential to be a great Turk. You just have to stop worrying about what everybody else thinks, and do the job for yourself."

For herself? Was it even possible? Her whole life, she had done things to please others. Always others. She lived to impress. She usually succeeded. Always the best, never second. That was her life in a nutshell. Not anymore. She was the rookie. Nobody was impressed by the rookie. That had to change. That would change.


	3. Desk Work and ArgusinDSA

**Tengoko: Sorry for not updating yesterday...or did I? It's hard to remember when I don't sleep at night anymore. Well anyway, I meant to get this chapter up last night, but on the re-read I saw a plot flaw and had to re-write a major portion of it. In answer to somebody's question, this story takes place five years after Elena first appeared in the Mythril Mines in the video game. Hope that clears up some confusion. Sorry about that. And I appreciate the reviews. Keep them coming. Thanks.  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 3: Desk Work and ArgusinDSA**

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Desk work. Those two words coupled together formed the most ghastly idiom in the English language. It meant boredom in conjunction with futility. Futility mostly because they gave you loads and loads of it. It was not intended to be finished. Only meant to devour your invaluable time, to take your mind off of other things that were much better than desk work. Of course, it never worked.

For the last three days, Elena had found herself looking longingly into a void. She missed going on missions. Missed the clandestine undertakings, the danger involved with her work. She hadn't realized it before, but being a Turk fulfilled a certain primal need in her, a Darwinian need. Survival of the fittest. She was the fittest, or least, she had been. Oh gods, she longed for the hunt, to suppress the fundamental, primordial instinct.

Dear gods, had it only been three days? Thirty-two days left. She would die. She shuddered to think of Rude's wait. She could barely stand her own. Staring down at the papers, all she saw was a canvas of white splattered with black markings. How could they expect her to be contented with this after all she had seen and gone through?

A loud howl snapped her out of her contemplative mood. Suddenly, a small man took off across the room, and all workers stopped as he let out a cry. Elena thought his name was Wimbley, but it was neither here nor there at this point. She stood up from her chair and followed him with her eyes.

"Dear gods, somebody stop him! He's mad!"

She turned her head back only to find Reno storm out of his office, waving a handful of papers in his hand. "Don't come back until you get it right, you scrawny-assed punk!"

"Reno!" Elena shouted, and his head whipped around to look at her. Immediately, his scowl transformed into his wily grin. Reno's trademark…well…one of them. Aside from his fiery red hair, his twin tattoos on his orbits, and his shoddy clothes. He casually made his way over to her and pulled one of the chairs out to sit in it. He propped his feet up on the round table that separated them and leaned back onto the chair's hind legs.

"So…how's life?" he asked nonchalantly, as thought the previous scene had never happened.

"How do you think life is?" she asked cynically. "At least you only have eleven more days of desk work."

"Yes, but in Reno years, that's a lifetime," he smiled.

"Reno years? What are you now…a dog?"

Reno chuckled and shook his head. "Nope. Merely a man. A man who can't be wasting his time on the crap Tseng gave me to expend the remainder of my two weeks. You forget, you have a hell of lot more patience than I do. Plus, I'd think you'd flourish on this kind of work, as fucking scrupulous as you are."

I scowled. "Just because I'm good at paper work doesn't mean that I take pleasure in it. Come on Reno. I'm sure there are heaps of things you are good at that you dislike intensely."

"You're only right by half. I am good at a lot of things. But I mostly enjoy them, and I mean that in the most literal way possible." There was no way Elena could miss that innuendo. She made a gagging motion which made him laugh. "Well…_they_ don't seem to mind."

Elena closed her eyes and shook her head. Just when you thought you were used to Reno's brusqueness, he came and blindsided you all over again. The only way passed all this was to change the subject…that's if Reno let you. "So, how's Rude? Still at home?"

Reno nodded. "He's doing fine. Like I said, he bounces back like nothing else. And I can assure you, he'll be ready to come back to work sooner than you think. And he's just as raring to get to this paper work as you are."

"Speaking of paper work," Elena began, reaching for her cup of coffee, "what was all that about?" She raised her brow and took a sip from the cup, waiting for Reno's answer.

"What?" he asked quite innocently.

"Don't be obtuse, Reno," she scolded. "What did you do to that man to make him run off as though he were afraid for his life?"

"Well…I threatened his life. So, in short, he essentially _was_ afraid for his life."

"I surmised as much," she said, using one of her drier tones. "But…why did you threaten his life?"

"Because I can," he smiled, quirking his own brow.

"Reno!" she snapped, only adding to his amusement.

"Elena, you talk too much. Why can't you take it at face value. Or, you can acknowledge the fact that you'll never know."

Reno knew right away that Elena was upset. He looked at her with inquisitiveness but didn't dare ask her what he had said to prompt her unexpectedly cheerless disposition. He just didn't understand it. Usually it took a few more minutes of ribbing to get any kind of reaction out of her.

_Elena, you talk too much_. How often had she heard that? She would have lost count long ago if she had bothered to keep it. Back then, it didn't matter all that much. But, now, it stood as a reminder of her inefficient skills. Her failure. Her inability to be a Turk.

Standing up, she gathered her papers and stacked them neatly into a pile. Clearing her throat and averting her eyes, she scooped them into a manila folder and slid the folder in-between two fingers that had previously been wrapped around her coffee mug.

"Laney?" Reno stood up as well.

"I've got a lot of work to do," she lied.

Reno knew. "Bull shit," he said accusingly.

"No. I really do. It's just…I'd rather do it at home where I can pace myself." With that, she set off towards the elevators. Reno watched her leave, dumbfounded by what had just happened.

"What a strange girl," he commented, before turning back to go into his office.

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_**That Night**_  
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It seemed so small in her hand. And, her hands were small to begin with, so that was saying a lot. She stared not at her hand though. But at her reflection in the mirror. She tossed so many questions and reasons in her mind, debating what she would do now. It seemed like a bad idea. Every logical grain in her mind screamed at her to just set them down and walk away. But, the voice in the back of her head told her that it would make things so much easier.

They were called ArgusinDSA. Shin-Ra's medicinal exploration team had just developed them and they had yet to be instituted in the global market. The main reason was because nobody was quite sure how it would work on humans.

The pill itself was meant to not only counter exhaustion and depression, but it was also meant to stimulate endorphins, giving you more energy throughout the day. It was the miracle solution that Elena had been waiting for, but she had considerable doubts.

Her friend, Giuseppe Greyhen, one of the medical researchers, had taken a bottle in secret from the lab at her request. He told her that recent tests have made them optimistic about the success of the pill, and that he didn't think it would harm her to take them. The catch; it took a week and a half for the effects to begin. That meant Elena had to start taking them now.

She popped the lid of the orange container and let one pill fall into her open palm. It was about the size of a finger nail and was colored blue and white. She reached for her faucet and turned the water on at the bathroom sink. Putting the pill on her tongue, she leaned forward and swallowed it.

No turning back now.

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_**Meanwhile  
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It was everything you could expect of a bachelor pad. Rude had seen to that. In his opinion, the most essential elements in attaining the perfect apartment setting was a comfortable, yet stylish couch, a large screen television complete with satellite, a king sized bed for pleasing the ladies, and of course, a well-stocked bar. He wasted no time going through the contents of the latter now that Reno had arrived.

Reno had just gotten his jacket off and plopped down on the couch when Rude hobbled over to him, a crutch stuffed under his arm, and handed him a glass of scotch. Reno took it gratefully and easily disposed of it. Rude sat next to him and partook in his own drink.

"I don't think that was the best idea, buddy," Reno said, pointing to Rude's arm. "Does the doctor know you did that."

Rude looked down at his arm and shrugged. Cast-less. "It's amazing how entertaining a switchblade can be when you've got nothing but time on your hands."

"So, where's the cast?"

"Hell if I know," Rude said, smiling to himself. "Reno, I am better off without it"

"No need to defend yourself to me," Reno said, chuckling. "I really don't give a damn what you do. I'll leave it to Tseng and Elena to scold you."

Rude fell silent for a while and twisted the empty glass in his hand. Taking a deep breath, he turned to Reno and said, "I'm worried."

"I'm sorry," Reno said, standing to go back to the bar. He pretended to be completely oblivious to Rude's glare, and as he opened the bottle of Jack Daniel's, his eyes widened. "Oh…was I supposed to ask why?"

"Damn right you were, jack-ass," Rude said, though you couldn't mistake his tone for anything but humorous.

"Alright," Reno said, filling his glass. "Tell me what you are worried about so we can skip being emotional when we get really foxed."

"I don't get emotional when I'm foxed," Rude protested. "And you've never seen me foxed, so you wouldn't know. For that matter, you don't get emotional either, so cut the bull shit, Reno."

"I'm trying," he said sincerely. "I'm waiting for you to get to your point, Rude. Now, if you'd do that, I wait with bated breath."

"It's Elena," Rude confessed. "Have you not noticed that she's been acting…odd."

"I thought odd was normal for her," Reno said, sipping his drink.

"This is different," Rude persisted. "I've never seen her like this. She was by earlier today by the way. She was okay at first, and we were talking about…hell, what were we talking about? But you see, that's the point. We were getting on fine until I said…something."

"Thanks for the clarity on that, Rude. Had you been indistinct, I'd be amazingly annoyed right now." He had to dodge Rude's backhand, but was laughing anyway. "Sorry, sorry. So, you said…_something_. Obviously you didn't think it was important or you would have remembered. But…"

"Whatever it was, it upset her. Then she started rambling and shit. It wasn't like her to be so inarticulate. Then she got real antsy and made some bull shit excuse to leave."

Reno was no longer smiling. "Yeah, she did that to me today. But, I have no idea what I said either." He set his glass down on Rude's coffee table and leaned forward. "That's the thing about women. They're so fucking emotional. Anything sets them off. They're only good for one thing."

"We aren't talking about women, Reno. We're talking about Elena. Elena the Turk. Not the woman. Got that?"

"Well, it's obvious what's bothering her," Reno said matter-of-factly.

"Then enlighten me oh wise one."

"She's still eating herself up with guilt." That had to be it. There really was no other explanation as far as Reno was concerned. But, then again, he didn't really know her that well on a personal level. Hell, he barely got along with her on a professional level. But still, it hadn't escaped his notice. Something was wrong with Elena.


	4. Where You Stand

**Tengoko: Sorry for not updating sooner. It was actually difficult writing this chapter, and I went through four different ideas before settling on this one. So, I'd really like to know what you guys think of it. You know what to do. (hint review). Well, 'nuff talking. I'm spent. Here's the chapter.  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 4: Where You Stand**

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The mission had gone off without a hitch. She had left no room for complaint. Not even Reno could find something to pick out, and he was usually to most scrupulous. That was something to be proud of, considering where she had been three weeks ago. Now, she had no doubt in her mind that she was beginning to turn heads, make people take notice. She was finally living up to being a Turk. And it was all thanks to ArgusinDSA.

The helicopter ride had worn her out though. She had been so restless, and there really isn't anything to do on a vehicle that hovered above the earth. Tseng had called while they were flying back to ask her about the mission. Complete. Successful. And nobody had gotten hurt. She even went as far as to ask him why she was getting the easy missions. It irked him. He'd been giving her the hard missions, and she was surprising him over and over by getting them done right.

She tried sitting down, but for some reason, she couldn't. Instead, she resorted to pacing back and forth in the lobby, waiting for Tseng to call her into the office. She didn't have to wait very long. The door opened and Justus Marquis, a Turk in training, stepped out and told Elena that they were ready for her.

It had surprised her at first, that they were hiring him to be a Turk. She always thought that four was enough. But of course, she was wrong. She knew that this was the lowest number that they'd ever had employed. Years ago, there were many that served Shin-Ra. Back when Rude and Reno were rookies, back when her sister had been a Turk. Back when she hated the Turks.

She smiled at him before entering the office. She was surprised. She hadn't expect Rufus to be there, sitting in Tseng's chair as though he owned it. Actually, he probably did own it. She looked over at Tseng curiously; he stood slightly behind Rufus with his hands locked behind his back.

"Have a seat, Elena," Rufus said, motioning towards one of the chairs in front of the desk. She complied instantly. "That was Justus that just left by the way. Have you two met."

"We've become acquainted," Elena said, remembering the awkward meeting in which Reno all but made the man wet his pants due to his over excessive intimidation.

"Good. His training starts in a few weeks, and Tseng and I have decided you'll train him."

"Me?"

"Was I not clear?" Rufus asked, turning towards Tseng. "I'm sure I was quite coherent in my words. Yes. You, Elena. After we heard about his little confrontation with Reno, we are convinced that pairing the two would be a bad idea, to say the least. With Rude on sick leave, you are the last resort."

Last resort? So, they were back to that, were they? Just when she thought she was making progress. "I see."

"That, and we figured you two would get on great," Tseng added. "You two could relate."

"How?"

"Well, face it, Elena. You never really fit in with Reno and Rude. In fact, we believe that's why it took you so long to settle into your job. That's why we kept you around. To see if you'd catch on."

"Did I?"

"Lately, we've reason to believe that you have. Elena, your good work isn't going unnoticed. Whatever your secret is, it's working. However, we also believe that you would thrive with a partner who you could get closer to. You could find that in Justus. I guarantee you, he won't fit in with Reno and Rude either, and he's going to need somebody to show him the ropes and make him feel welcome. In the long run, you'll both benefit from each other."

Rufus, who'd been absently rocking in the chair, cleared his throat. "Speaking of doing well, we have good news for you. You're off probation. You've earned that. But, we are still watching you. Don't start slipping. In fact, we expect nothing more than progression. You are capable of doing better."

"Better?"

All of a sudden, Rufus laughed. "What is it with you today? Two or one worded replies. I've never known you not to make a long winded speech in response to everything we've told you. Is there a reason why you are at a loss for words."

Elena thought of her words carefully. "It's just…recently…I have felt like Rude and Reno are beginning to accept me. Now, I'm going to be paired with this new guy, and I'll probably work with the others less and less. Forgive me, but I think that sucks. I spent a lot of years trying to gain their respect, and now that I'm finally getting somewhere, it's to learn that it was for nothing. I love working with them, sir."

"We know," Rufus responded. "It's not easy to ignore. They've grown rather fond of you. Rude's outright told us that. And Reno has his own way of expressing it. Either way, we know that both of them like you. We weren't saying that they didn't. Fitting in and fondness, Elena, are two different things. You can be liked but not fit in. That is the case here. Rude and Reno will be just that. Rude and Reno. They've been working together since before I was president and before Tseng was leader of the Turks."

"That means something, Elena," Tseng said. "They've been on nearly every mission together and have proven time and again that they have each other's backs. While others have came and went, they'd always been here. Nothing and nobody will understand how much their friendship means to each other. I doubt even they do. But, they do know that nobody else will compare. That's you Elena. They like you, but you could never be one of them."

"So, be for Justus. Give him a partner he can rely on and relate to. Give him somebody to go drinking with and hanging out with."

"So, you want me to be Reno and you want him to be Rude…figuratively speaking of course?"

"You could look at it that way."

"You didn't have to lay it on so thick, you know," she said. It hurt. Words hurt her more than any bullet or bomb could. Elena was sensitive that way. So, you tell her that Reno and Rude cared, but didn't care…how was she supposed to take that? Especially since she thought that she was one of them. She felt that she had made a special bond with both of them. In fact, she could swear that she had. Why else hadn't they left her to die in that building four weeks ago?

"When does his training start?" she asked.

"In four weeks, when Rude gets back. We didn't want to start until then, just in case you or Reno needed a partner with experience should anything come up."

"And," Rufus said, "I apologize, for 'laying it on so thick' as you said."

"No," Elena said softly, almost void of any emotion. "I think I needed to hear that. If anything, it opened my eyes."

"Elena…don't misunderstand. They do care…on a very professional level. But, as far as personal friendship…I don't know. It doesn't look like it."

"I do understand, Mr. President."

"Mr. Pre…? Elena, is something wrong? You're acting…strange."

"I'm fine," she said. 'I'm fine.' How many times had she repeated that? She'd had to say it to Rude each time they saw each other. Reno often asked too. Tseng had once. Now Rufus. "What did I say to make you think otherwise?"

"Nothing…you're just acting…different."

"I've just turned over a new leaf, sir. I'm giving my all to the company. To the Turks. That means that I must separate my personal feelings from my job. I can't be selfish either, which I've come to realize was my problem in the past. I always whined and complained. But no more. I'm all for Shin-Ra now sir."

"Glad to hear it," he smiled. Tseng didn't look as pleased.

"Sir, if I may. I'd like to discuss something further with her…in private."

"I was just leaving anyway," he said, standing up. "I've got a meeting that I'm late for. So, until next time…"

The moment the door closed behind him, Tseng sat down and stared hard at her. "I'm worried…that you are taking things too far."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"When we put you on probation, we meant to shape up. We didn't mean alter your life to fit our purposes. Elena, we want you to be you. We just wanted you to be better at your job. We never meant for you to sacrifice your health for it."

"I thought that was the mark of a good Turk. Always the job before self."

"No. What's the job without the person to do it? Now, Rude and Reno have come by to see me about your behavior. They wonder if maybe, you need to go on leave again."

"What?" she exclaimed, rising from her seat. "Why? I've never been this good. I'm complete every mission with distinction. Why would I need to go on leave?"

"It was just a suggestion, Elena. And I'd be lying if I told you that I haven't considered it. But, I have faith that whatever your problem is, you'll fix it."

"I am fixing it, sir. Four weeks ago, I was a clumsy, reckless Turk who nearly got her colleague killed. Now, I'm a Turk who gets the job done with haste and class. That's how I changed, and I like the way I changed. I'm a Turk now. A real Turk. Not a wannabe. I thought at least you could appreciate that."

She didn't wait around for his response. In the next second, she too was out the door.

What did he want from her. First they told her she needed to get better. Now he told her to lay off. What the hell? It was enough to make her head spin. Enough to make her want to punch a hole through a wall. Through a brick wall. Damn, the man was infuriating. She was so angry, her hands began to shake. Or…was that because…?

"Is it time already," she asked herself, looking at her watch. "Oh. So it is." She stopped walking and looked around, seeing if anybody was near. Nobody was. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the now familiar orange container. "Do your magic," she said, as she popped the lid and put the pill in her mouth.

"What was that?"

Elena nearly screamed as she turned around and collided with Reno. The pills went everywhere. "Oh shit," she breathed, and fell to her knees, grabbing all the pills. "It' s nothing, Reno," she told him. "I just had a headache and these pills get rid of it."

"What are they?" he asked, kneeling down to help her.

"Don't!" she cried, as he tried to take the bottle from her. Tried. And succeeded.

"ArgusinDSA? I've never heard of them. Where'd you get them?"

"It doesn't matter!" she yelled, yanking the bottle back from him. "And mind your own business, will you?"

"Elena…?" She didn't pay attention. She had finally got all the pills into the bottle and sealed it up. "Elena, what are they? For real?"

"What do you think they are?"

"Honestly? I think they're not good for you, for one. For another, I think they are addictive, judging by your reaction just now when they all fell on the floor. Now, I would hate to think of you doing something stupid like pill popping, but lately…"

"Well, that's exactly what I'm doing," she laughed. "Gods, Reno. That's ridiculous. I wouldn't do anything like that. I swear."

With that, she turned and walked away. Reno stared after her, his face fixed with a frown. There was something definitely wrong with that girl, and he and Rude were determined to find out what it was. Still, he hadn't been expecting something like that. And, hey. He could be wrong. But, giving her the benefit of the doubt would be a bad idea. Especially with something as serious as this.


	5. Smoldering

**Tengoko: Oh wow! Sorry for keepin you all waiting. I've just got so many things going on, not to mention other stories. Well, it's four in the morning and I think I've finally gotten this chapter right. I'd really like feed back on it. You know what to do. Well, enjoy the chapter.  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 5: Smoldering**

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Cold sweats. Just another side effect of ArgusinDSA. It wasn't the first time that she had woken up in the middle of the night drenched head to toe. She threw the covers off of her body and sat up, her legs hanging off the edge of the bed. Wiping the sweat off of her forehead, she stood up and walked straight to her restroom.

They were out on the sink now, looming like a sentry by the faucet. She'd gotten two more bottles from the lab, unbeknownst to anybody, and had stored them away in her medicine cabinet. It was just in case she lost a bottle or ran out, which she would eventually. She did have to admit, she was taking more than was suggested, but it wasn't as if she couldn't handle it.

She went straight for the pills and popped the cap. What a sweet, satisfying sound. That in itself eased some of her anxious nerves. She then stuck her fingers into the bottle and pulled out two pills, held them in her cupped palm. So small. So comforting. She couldn't explain it. Parting her lips, she slid them into her mouth and swallowed them together. Oh, they felt so good going down her throat. It felt like home.

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"Would you stop changing the subject?" Rude asked irritably as he leaned against the wall. It was weird talking to her through the thin door of a dressing room. Even more strange that the dressing room in question was located in a lingerie shop. He'd never been inside one before, definitely would have been happy to never have done so. But, at the moment, there were more pressing matters at hand.

"I assure you, Rude. You're beating a dead horse on this one. There is nothing wrong with me and you and Reno are just paranoid is all." Then there was as loud thump, and both Reno and Rude jumped to their feet, standing erect.

"Are you alright, Laney?" Reno asked.

"Yeah. No worries. I've just bumped my head. Damn, I'm not used to putting things like this on. Is it supposed to be…this tight?"

Reno and Rude chuckled. "How should we know, Laney?" Rude asked. "We've never put them on. We've only taken them off." They heard her exasperated sigh and they laughed again.

Well, if you are wondering why they are in a lingerie shop, you are about to find out. As it turns out, Elena's next mission was to play the role of smoldering temptress. It was to be her last mission with Reno…at least for a while…and what a way to go out with a bang? To seduce Giovanni de Luca. Mob boss for a major crime syndicate. Apparently, he was supposed to go out with a bang too. More literally.

"Laney, we're only worried about you," Rude said, getting back on topic. "You do know, despite what Rufus and Tseng said…"

"You heard about that?"

"Yeah. Tseng hides nothing from us," Rude explained. "Anyway, Laney, we…both of us…want you to know that if you ever need somebody to talk to, you can always come to us."

There was a long period where nothing was said. They heard a bit of shuffling before she said, "I'm coming out now…don't laugh." She didn't give them any time for a rejoinder. Stepping out, she opened her black robe and closed her eyes, afraid that her two colleagues would break into fits of hysterical laughter.

If only she hadn't closed her eyes. Both Rude and Reno froze, mouths gaping, eyes wide. She wore a black bustier, a matching thong, black thigh highs and stilettos. Respectfully, Rude looked away, right at Reno who had yet to tear his eyes away from Elena.

"I'm going…over…there…" Rude said, and then hurrying away. It wasn't that he was repulsed, but Elena was the closest thing to a sister he'd ever had. It was awkward seeing her that way. He looked to see if Reno was going to join him; he was stuck in his place.

"Well…what do you think?" Elena asked him. Her voice seemed to snap him out of whatever trance she had put him in. "Do I look good enough to impress the don?" she asked, still awaiting his response. When none came, she hurriedly closed her rob and blushed with embarrassment. "I didn't think so either."

"What?" Reno finally spoke. "No…I didn't…Laney you're b…" he seemed to catch himself before he said another word. "Well, there you go, Laney. You've got me sputtering like a fool. That's never happened to me before, so does that tell you something."

She smiled and stepped closer to him. "Were you about to call me beautiful?" she asked, a smile creeping at the corner of her mouth. He said nothing, only stared down at her light, brown eyes. She stared up into his, and then a strange thing happened. She stepped even closer, never looking away from those blue orbs that so captivated her just now, and pressed her body against his.

"…Laney?"

"Well…if I've got the look, I now need the act. I'm not going to lie when I say I'm inexperienced in the art of seduction. That's why, I was going to ask you or Rude a favor. As it is, it seems Rude wouldn't be up to the task." At that, she felt Reno's hands on the small of her back and heard him chuckle. "What?"

"Laney, if you're a beginner, you should start on a beginner level. I'm way too advanced."

"Really?" she asked, opening her robe back up and pressing herself more firmly against him. Did she heard him right? Did he actually gasp? She put her hand on the crook of his neck and ran her fingertips down to where his shirt revealed his chest.

"Don't think for a second that I don't know what you are doing," Reno said, grabbing her hand and holding it at his side. "Trust me. There should be no problem seducing the don, Elena. You're a woman. It's like you females have the art of seduction engrained in your brain."

"How can you be so sure?" He didn't answer. "Well, fine Reno!" she snapped, backing away from him. "I guess I'll just have to go to somebody else to help me. So much for being a friend! But you know, I'll bet Justus won't complain about this! He's already asked me out for drinks and a movie, so I'll just skip that part and head straight for the…"

"You'll do no such thing!" Reno snapped, apparently angry now. "That boy can't be more than twenty-two years old. It'll take absolutely no skill for him to want to put his grubby little hands all over you."

"Then, that should give me an extra burst of confidence."

"Damn it, Laney," Reno gritted, closing the gap between them and pushing her against the wall. "If he ever touches you, I'll kill him myself, and Rude will be right behind me ready to destroy whatever parts of him I leave behind."

"What? How dare you? Why do you care if the new guy has an interest in me?"

"There's something about him, Laney. Something that isn't…right. I don't trust him, neither does Rude."

"Oh please!" she shouted, trying to slap him but getting her other wrist caught. "What would you care anyway? So what if Justus takes advantage of me? It's not like it'd bother you at all. And at least there's a man somewhere in this city that finds me a little bit attractive."

Before she knew it, Reno had thrown her into the dressing room and, when she turned around to counter, he was already there, pushing her onto the cushioned chair and leaning down over her. "What do I care?" he asked dangerously. "What do I fucking care? I'll tell you what I care, Laney!"

"Oh, don't bother!" she shouted, pushing him away, or at least trying to. "I don't give a damn anymore! I don't care about you or Rude or anything but the job!"

"You don't mean that," Reno said softly.

"I do," she said through clenched teeth. "I've never been more serious in my entire life."

"So, you've resigned yourself to this?" Reno shouted. "You wonder why everybody treats you so damned different? It's because you act like a fucking baby. This all or nothing routine of yours is getting old fast. Now, I've been patient with you, Elena. And I'm not a patient man, so it goes without saying that you are on my last nerve."

"Then let's go our separate ways!"

Suddenly Reno punched the wall. "Damn it! Why are you like this? Huh? Have you always been a bitch or is this a new thing for you?"

"Get away from me, Reno," she commanded. He didn't move. "Fuck, Reno. What do you want from me?"

He didn't answer right away. In fact, it seemed his eyes saddened. He looked away from her and looked at himself in the mirror. "I want you to tell me what happened to you?" His voice was amazingly low, a tone she'd never heard him use before. "You've changed, Elena. I don't like the way you've changed." He turned away from the mirror and walked over to her, taking her hand into his. "I want to help you, Laney. I want the old you back."

"The old me?" she cried, tears now falling down her cheeks. "The old me that everybody criticized and hated? The one that fucked up every mission she went on and gave away every piece of information because she didn't know when to keep her damned mouth shut? The old me that nearly got you and Rude…" She couldn't bring herself to finish.

Reno sighed before wiping her tears away. "Yeah. That one. Do you know what happened to her?"

"She died," Elena said sadistically. "She died back in that hospital six weeks ago. And now I'm here. I've got to make up for what happened. And if that means changing completely, than so be it."

"Elena, what happened six weeks ago…that wasn't your fault."

"Yes it was!" she screamed. "But it'll never happen again. Especially now that I'm training another. I'll be better than I've ever been before."

"You're pushing yourself too hard, Laney," he said. "You're going to make yourself sick. Trust me. I've seen it happen so many times. And I don't want that to happen to you."

"I can take care of myself, Reno."

"I hope so," he uttered.

"And I don't need you or Rude to protect me anymore. I'm flattered that you both care enough, but really, I'm a Turk. I'm not the one that needs protection. Honestly. Who's going to hurt me?"

She didn't give him time to answer. She pulled her hand out of his and quickly made her exit. Reno sighed again and stood up, looking down at the chair that she had just been in seconds before. "…But who's going to protect you from yourself?"


	6. Doubts, Misery, and Failure

**Tengoko: Sorry for taking so long. This chapter was difficult to write. I think it ranks up there with one of the toughest I've ever written. That's why reviews will be extra appreciated on this one. Though, I will warn you, this chapter is darker than the other ones. Still, I hope you all enjoy it, and like I said, I really would love feedback. Thanks. Enjoy.  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 6: Doubts, Misery, and Failure**

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Doubt. It's a term that Elena was all too familiar with. A term that had gotten the best of her in the not so far-away past. And just when she thought she was through with it, doubt was now hurrying back to her in a torrential tumult, smothering her chest with heaviness, making it difficult to breathe. Oh Gods. She wished she had her pills on hand. She'd have to remember to bring them on future errands, for only ArgusinDSA could eliminate doubt.

The whirling propellers above provided the only sound. _Chop. Chop. Chop_. The blades sliced through the air in rapid succession. _Tic. Tock. Tic. Tock._ Elena could swear that the two sounded the same. _Chop. Tock. Chop_. Like the second hand on a clock, bringing her seconds closer to what was sure to be her hardest mission. Being so, she was determined not to fail.

How long had they been in the helicopter? It felt like forever. Even more so since Reno's studious eyes never left her. Must he always stare at her? She felt like she was about to be interrogated for a crime she didn't commit. That was the effect his disquieting eyes had on her. She was afraid to move under his watchful gaze. Really. What could he find so fascinating, so catching, that he would be compelled to stare?

"Don't be nervous," he finally said.

"I'm not," she lied, hoping that he did not see right through her.

"Good. Because we're landing."

They were? Elena turned her head only to see that he was correct. How had she not noticed? Had she really been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she'd become unaware of everything else? She really was that worried about messing up. It would be a shame, after all she'd done to build herself up, to let everything tumble down now. She had to succeed. There was no other option.

They wasted no time getting out the second they chopper had met the ground. Reno practically pulled her along with him as they hurried for the car that was waiting for them. He opened the door and stepped aside so she could get in. Only after she slid onto the leather seat did he get inside himself.

Elena felt like she was going to be sick. Tseng had shown her a picture of the don. He could be described as a filthy man, but that would be an understatement. He was revolting in every way possible. And to think, in a few hours, maybe not even that long, his hands were going to be all over her. He certainly wasn't the one she wanted her first intimate moment to be with. But what could she say? It was the job they'd given her. And she had to show them that she'd do anything for the job.

They'd gotten to the club entirely too quickly in Elena's opinion. Reno finally turned towards her and then looked behind him at the Il Rendevous Degli Amanti. It was supposedly the most popular nightclub. The owner was Giovanni de Luca, and he could be counted on making an appearance every night. Hopefully, this would be his last night.

"It'll be pretty crowded when you get in there," he told her, overlooking her anxious expression. "Just stay focused. You know who you're looking for."

"Reno?"

"Don't worry, Laney," he smiled. "I won't be too far away. Trust me."

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It hadn't been hard finding him. Actually, _he_ found her. She couldn't have been in the club more than five minutes when one of his body guards approached her and told her that the don requested her presence at his table. She happily complied.

Giovanni de Luca was much more revolting in person. He reeked of cheap cigars and raw fish. Elena didn't even want to know why. His breath was worse. It was almost as if a small rodent crawled into the cavernous area to die, and had done so long ago. It took everything she had to keep from retching. Even more to keep a smile plastered on her face as he spoke with her.

He got to his point promptly. He wanted her. Plain and simple. That made her work easy. She didn't have to anything. At this point, she wasn't sure if she could have. And he made no endeavor to be subtle in his flirting. His fingers would slither against her cheek; then more audaciously, across the top of her breasts. She wanted to die right there. She smiled on.

"Dear don," she began in a voice of forced flirtation. "Wouldn't you rather we finish this in private?" She almost prayed that somebody would shoot her.

"Of course, my fiore. It will please you to know that I have rooms in the back, specifically for this purpose." It was clear what that purpose was, even without the not so gentle squeeze he gave her on the inside of her thigh. "Let us go."

As he stood up, her eyes helplessly scanned the club. Where was Reno? She had yet to see him come in. She stood up next, and then the don's heavy arm came around her shoulders, pulling her towards the back of the nightclub, towards a desolate hallway. Every step brought them closer. With every step, Elena became more and more aware that this was wrong. All of it.

She didn't want this. She felt her insides stir rebelliously. Her mind screamed at her to run. Her whole body began to quake with fear. He thought it was something else, and became downright pleased with himself.

After he opened the door and revealed to her a large, king-sized bed with red sheets, he pushed her inside and closed the door behind him. "Ah, my fiore, most beloved colomba. Let me see you."

"I'm right here," she said, pretending to not know what he was talking about.

He chuckled and stepped closer to her. "No. I mean, all of you." His hands parted her robe and it slid off her shoulders. He gasped. "You are even more gorgeous than I thought."

All of a sudden, he was all over her. There was no stopping it. No way to see it coming. He ripped her thong off and threw her onto the bed, now fumbling with his own belt. Elena was terrified. It was too late to stop it. Too late to tell him 'no.' Too soon, he was on top of her, touching her.

Her breathing became arduous as her heart pounded violently. "Stop," she begged. "Please, stop."

"What?" he paused, looking confused, crestfallen, and now…irritated. "Are you not enjoying yourself, fiore?"

"No, I'm not," she all but yelled. "This is over. I want no part of this."

He laughed again. She didn't like it. Something about it didn't sit right with her. "Ah. What a pity. It could have been wonderful for both of us. Now, it seems, I'll be the only one who enjoys it. Don't you get it, fiore? I will have you. With _or_ without your consent."

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How the hell was he supposed to get passed the body guards without making a scene? They blocked the hallway. Hell. They might as well be brick walls. Reno cursed loudly. It wasn't as if anybody could hear him over the loud music. Even if they could, he couldn't give a damn. Not right now. Now, he had to think. There had to be another way to get in there.

He was running out of time. He knew it. Images of Elena lying under the disgusting man began flooding his mind. He completing the mission. Elena needed rescuing. That was his new mission. To hell with everything else.

He pushed passed the crowd and approached the body guards. They were taller than he thought they would be. They looked down at him as though he were a cockroach, something that should be stepped on. Funny. That's how he was looking at them.

"May we help you?" one of them asked, his tone dripping with the utmost disdain.

"I need to speak with the don," he said heatedly.

"He is busy at the moment," he said knowingly.

"Oh. He'll see me."

Without warning, Reno pressed something against the first body guard, and with a jolt, he fell to the floor. The three remaining men converged on him. Reno merely shot them. There were screams behind him. Mostly women. Damn women. They always caused him trouble. Especially Elena. Dear gods, he hopes she was okay.

He didn't bother turning around to see the mayhem he'd caused. Jumping over the bodies, he ran down the hall. The door was locked. No problem. Nothing a good kick wouldn't fix. And indeed it did. But the sight that greeted him…he'd been expecting it, but it didn't make it any easier to stomach.

She was screaming. Thrashing about the bed. He was trying to get her to stay still. His hands were flying, slapping her across the face, her chest. Shouts of anger escaped passed his lips. He called her everything imaginable. All she could do was resist. And damn, she was giving it her all.

Reno could have just shot him. That's what he was supposed to do. But as he took in the scene, a new emotion, one he wasn't familiar with, took over. Yes. Logically, shooting him would end her misery. But, that only meant Reno couldn't make the man equally miserable. He didn't deserve a quick death.

Reno lunged forward, diving onto the bed, and pulling the man off of Elena. This caused both men to fall to the floor. The don cried out. Reno didn't care. His fists began hammering his face. The don tried to fight back, but every punch that managed to get passed Reno barely phased him. It wasn't as if the don didn't hit hard. Contrarily, he hit very hard. But Reno was too angry to care.

What a turn of events. Now the don was screaming. His face was bleeding, his nose was surely broken. If he survived, he'd never look the same again. Over and over again. Reno kept pelting him with every ounce of his strength. He had to suffer. He had to pay for treating her like that; for thinking it was alright to treat _any_ woman like that.

Then a stinging feeling erupted in his side. How had he not seen it coming? The silver glint of the metal should have caught his eye, but he had been too oblivious to everything else. He had just wanted to cause pain. Extreme pain.

The don capitalized on Reno's pause. He kicked him away and raced for the door. He tripped over himself and then, after regaining his balanced, tried to flee. That was quickly remedied. One shot. One well aimed shot brought him down.

Reno dropped the gun and looked down at his side. The knife had only startled him. Nothing more. It was only a scratch. It wouldn't even bleed for very long. Standing up quickly, he removed his jacket and wrapped it around Elena who was now sitting. His arms came next, bringing her close to him, securely against his chest.

"I'm so sorry," he said in a tone that couldn't have belonged to Reno. "He didn't…did he?"

"A few seconds longer…" she trailed off.

It had been that close. She could still feel him. His hands, his breath. She felt…she didn't know how she felt. All she knew was that this feeling that was overwhelming her now was the worse that she'd every experienced in her entire life. Nothing could possibly compare. "Oh Gods!" she cried, throwing her arms around Reno's waist and pulling herself even closer to him.

"You'll never have to do this again, Laney. I swear. I shouldn't have let you do this in the first place." He winced now. Her nails were digging into his back. Still, she clawed for him greedily, trying to get closer, even though there was no more room in between them to fill. "Laney," he began, his voice oh so tender, "it's okay. You're safe."

"I failed," she bawled. Reno's grip intensified around her. She didn't care. She felt safe in his arms. Secure. "I can't…stop shaking," she whimpered.

"I know," Reno said, rubbing her arms. It did nothing to stop her tremors. Only one thing could. It was at her apartment, on her bathroom sink.

"I want to go home," she begged, her voice shaking.

"Alright," Reno said, hooking an arm underneath her legs and lifting her. "I'll take you home."

"I failed," she whispered. Over and over again. It was all she could think about. In Reno's mind, that wasn't normal. The woman had just been through a traumatizing ordeal and all she could think about was her job. That didn't settle well with Reno.

The car was waiting for them. As soon as they got in, Elena laid down on the seat and laid her head in Reno's lap. His hand began smoothing her hair. It was all he could think to do in the way of comforting her. Still, he felt her tears through his pants. She shook violently. It was almost as if the shivers were getting worse. They were.

"I failed," she said one last time, before closing her eyes and succumbing to a troubled sleep.

After a few minutes, Reno shook his head and closed his own eyes. "No. Laney, you didn't fail," he whispered. "…I did."


	7. No Promises

**Tengoko: Sorry for taking so long. I sprained my wrist at work and typing with a brace on is no fun. I enjoyed writing this chapter. So, I hope you all enjoy reading it. As always, reviews are more than appreciated. It's always nice to hear from you guys. Thanks.  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 7: No Promises**

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It was the first thing she thought about when she got into the apartment. Her saving grace. Waiting dutifully on the white porcelain surface of her bathroom sink. It was the first place she went. Already, her nerves were beginning to settle at just the thought of swallowing a perfect little pill. But that didn't last very long. They weren't there. 

Her eyes widened. She knew she'd left them there. She left them there every night. Why now wouldn't they be there? Ripping open the medicine cabinet, she begin shuffling through countless bottles trying to find the other two containers. Hell. They were missing too. But how? This was no coincidence. Three bottles of the same medicine gone?

"Looking for this?"

Elena snapped her head to the side. Reno was leaning against the doorpost as indifferently as could be. In his hand he was holding an orange container. The orange container. Hers. "Give it back!" she screamed, starting at him. He didn't. She hadn't thought he would. "Damn it, Reno! They don't belong to you!"

"I don't think they belong to you either," he said, looking down at the bottle. He put them in his pocket and then slowly approached her. "I think some members of Shin-Ra's medical research team will be pleased to have these back in their possession. And you don't know how relieved Rude and I will be to know that they're no longer in yours."

"You knew?"

He only nodded before putting a hand under her chin and moving her head to the side. "Does it hurt?" he asked. His thumb brushed against her cheek and for the first time, Elena became aware of the soreness. She wished he hadn't done it. Now it was unbearable. "He must have been wearing a ring. Come here."

She had no time to refuse. His hands gripped her around her waist and lifted her onto the counter. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he said tersely. He turned on the hot water and grabbed a hand towel that was right by the faucet. Turning back to face her, he put the towel to her face and began dabbing at her cuts.

"Reno…I need them," she said distraughtly.

"Why?"

"They…they…" How could she possibly explain to him in a way he could understand? She couldn't. Reno would never know how she felt. He was perfect. Everybody respected him, even if they didn't like him. They knew he'd get the job done. He was revered and feared. So, how in the hell would he ever grasp what she was going through?

"They…they?" He was mocking her now. "They screw you up is what they do," he said, taking a step back and throwing the towel into the sink. Elena was surprised by the blood. Was that all hers? It couldn't have been. She'd have known if she'd been bleeding like that. "You really didn't feel it?"

"I don't care! I don't care if I never feel anything again! I just want those pills back! Screw me up? Hell! They make me better! I've never done the job as well as I'm doing it now! And it's all because of those pills! So fuck you if you think they're hurting me! They're not! You are! You and Rude! So just stay out of my life, Reno, and mind your own damn business!"

Reno didn't seem to digest any of that very well. At first he looked shocked. But that only lasted until the end of her diatribe. Now he was angry, and it had been a long time since Elena had seen him angry. "I'd like to know how the hell you think Rude and I are hurting you," he said. His voice was unsteady. She could tell he was trying his hardest not to yell.

"Have you ever had to live in your shadow?" she asked darkly.

"Damn it, Laney!" he shouted. "Why does everything have to be about the fucking job with you? Do you really expect to be better than me, than Rude, when we've been doing this for years? And face it, Laney. If you need a bunch of fucking pills to think you're ultimately up to standard, than you were never cut out to be a Turk anyway."

He immediately regretted saying that. The look in her eyes tore at him. He'd hurt her. Hurt her more than Giovanni de Luca. "Is that how you really feel?" she asked monotonously. She was crying now. Silent tears.

Reno groaned. "No. Elena, to tell you the truth…I never thought you were that bad in the first place. The thing that prevented you from completing your missions had nothing to do with incompetence. You just thought too much. All the possible ways to fail. You let it get to you. Nerves destroyed you. And they're destroying you now, you're just too doped up on this Argusin shit to realize it."

"All I know is, before Argusin I failed. Now, I succeed. I don't care if I need pills to do that. Besides, you're playing the hypocrite, you bastard!"

"How's that?" he asked, getting his defenses up.

"You talk to me about dependency and foolishness. Yet, you stand there, ignorant of your alcoholism and your addiction to sex. I don't care how you put it, Reno, but both are your ways of avoiding reality. At least my way is safer."

"I'm not an alcoholic." He really wasn't. Sure, he drank every day. But he rarely ever got drunk. Buzzed, yes. Why drink if not for the buzz? But he knew his limits. Knew when he was on the edge, hovering on the line between a small high and complete inebriation. And so what if he chose to get drunk some of those times? At least it wasn't a daily habit. At least he could honestly control it. "And I don't see how my sex life relates to this."

She was glaring at him now. Tears were still falling from her brown eyes. She only wanted her pills. Gods. She was still shaking. Had never stopped. She was exhausted. She was tired of being exhausted. And only ArgusinDSA could fix it all.

"I need them. I need them. Don't ask me why. I can't explain. All I know is that if I don't have them…Gods! Why are you doing this to me? After what happened tonight? Why are you making it worse? Please! I need them! I need them so much!" Her voice was frantic and pleading. It seemed as though she were on the brink of hyperventilation. She hadn't realized how much that troubled Reno. "If you really cared about me, you'd give them back. At least this one last time. Just one more time. I promise. That'll be it. Please."

"I wish you could hear yourself," he said, shaking his head disappointedly.

"Reno!"

"No. I'm not giving you these pills. You don't need them, Elena. You never needed them. And I'm going to get that through to you. Even if I have to beat it into that stupid head of yours."

"Why are you doing this to me?" She wasn't crying silently anymore. She was sobbing. Pitiful. Pathetic. But that's not what Reno saw. She was helpless. Hopeless. She was falling apart right in front of him. And before he knew it, he'd taken her into his arms and was holding her against him. So tight. It was as if he thought she'd fall to pieces if he didn't hold her like that.

He tried to speak. His words got caught in his throat. What was there to say anyway? There were no words that could ease her. No words that could make her think that he wasn't trying to hurt her. She was still sobbing. He could only hold her. She held him back. She looked up at him. Her eyes were pleading, silent but moving.

And then his lips were on hers. Soft and gentle. Brief but sweet. She had no time to be surprised. This kiss was over before she realized it had begun. And now, a new emotion could be found behind the blue eyes of Reno: guilt. It had completely replaced his frustration and anger.

"I'm sorry," he said, confirming this assumption. "I shouldn't have done that." He could have kicked himself. How could he have been so stupid. After what she'd been through with the don, the last thing she needed was another man, in the same night, kissing her.

And then her lips were on his. Just as brief. Just as sweet. "Now we're even," she said, her tears letting up. She held him tighter, her hands going around his waist. And then…it occurred to her. Only one bottle. She only felt one bottle in his pocket. Had he not found the others? Oh Gods…how could she forget? She'd moved them. They hadn't in the medicine cabinet. She'd been freaking out for nothing. They were safe. They were still hers.

She smiled now. Her happiness was so immense, that she kissed Reno again. As far as kisses went, it was still a very simple kiss. Though, it did heat up near the end when Elena gently ran her tongue across his bottom lip. Reno moaned softly. If it hadn't been so quiet, Elena never would have heard it. And then, of all people, Reno pulled away.

"I…I can't do this," he said breathlessly. "If I keep kissing you…I just can't. And how can you? After what the don did?"

"What? Did you expect me to be sexually inept after that?" She laughed and jumped off of the counter, trying to ignore her shaking hands now. It wouldn't be much longer. Soon she'd have her pills again. But for now, she'd just have to do without them.

"Most women do experience…I don't know, some emotional distress after something like that?"

She laughed again. "Since when have you, or anybody for that matter, considered me to be like most women?"

"Never. But that's not the point, Laney."

"No. I think we both have forgotten what the point is. ArgusinDSA. You and Rude don't want me to take them anymore. It won't be easy, Reno. But I'll try." Suddenly, she felt sick. Why did it feel so wrong to lie to him?

"I'm not giving you much of a choice," Reno said. "And Laney…one other thing…"

"What's that?"

"Please, don't ever tell me that I don't give a damn about you. I care about you. Hell…I care about you more than I damn well should. Now…don't make too much of that. Nothing's going to come of it."

Elena was confused. Had he just admitted what she though he'd admitted? Reno had feelings for her? Reno? But just as she took that in, he said that last bit. 'Nothing's going to come of it.'

"I know," she said. "It'd probably be better that way."

"I don't think 'probably' is the right word," he told her. "I think 'definitely' is more appropriate. But, the fact is, I do care about you. And Rude cares about you too. You're our only family, Laney. You and Tseng. We'd do anything for you."

She hated to admit it. That was kind of touching. A perfect emotional moment. She couldn't believe Reno had instigated it. Strange. Just when she thought she'd had him all figured out. He was…Reno. Plain and predictable. Actually, he was predictable in the way that he was unpredictable. Only a few things were constant as far as this fiery red head was concerned: drinking, fighting, gambling, and women.

"Reno," she began tentatively. "I know that nothing will ever happen between us, but…"

"But?" That smile. His infamous smirk; the corner of his mouth crept upward.

"I really do like kissing you. Can't we just do that…and leave it there? No promises or pretenses."

He didn't answer. He just continued to smirk like a fool. But then he stepped closer, taking her face in his hands. His lips found hers for what wouldn't be the last time that night. He parted her crème lips with his tongue and delved deep into her mouth. She whimpered. He moaned. It was hard to describe how she tasted to him. But it was intoxicating. More potent than any alcohol. And he yearned for more. But he knew he could never have it. He'd never let it get that far.

Her skin was like silk beneath his fingers. Gods. He never thought she could feel so good. Something began to stir inside. He felt that familiar feeling in his loins. Reluctantly, he stopped kissing her. They looked at each other with heavily sated eyes before she stepped into him and embraced him, resting her cheek against his chest.

"Don't leave," she pleaded. "I don't think I can stand to be alone tonight."

"I'll stay," he assured her. And he did. It didn't take her long to fall asleep. Her head was lying on his arm as his fingers gently stroked her short, blonde hair. How long had it been since he just held a woman? For that matter, had he ever just held a woman? No. Laney was the first. His arm was falling asleep. He ignored it. He didn't want to do anything to wake her up; she looked so peaceful. Smiling, he put his other arm around her and closed his eyes.


	8. Justus Marquis

**Tengoko: I'm so sorry for not updating sooner. It's just been so busy lately. I'll try not to keep you guys waiting next time. Well, the reviews have been so encouraging. I love them all. Keep them coming. Whenever I'm in need of motivation, I just read your reviews and I get a boost. Well, I'll shut up now. Enjoy the chapter.  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 8: Justus Marquis**

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Elena sat behind her desk, perusing through the papers in the manila folder that Tseng had just delivered to her. Her next mission. Her first mission with Justus Marquis. A man, whom Elena had noticed, was much too handsome for his own good. She blushed just thinking about him, and then felt guilty. She didn't know why. It's not like she actually had anything with Reno. And she was quite sure that he wasn't halting his sexual exploits just because they'd recently taken to passionate kissing.

That thought upset her. Again, the reason was a mystery. Shaking her head and closing her folder, she stood up and slid it into her duffel bag. She was all set to go to Great Glacier with Justus, just as soon as he arrived. It turned out that a few wanted criminals had turned the icy environment into their base. And, since Reno and Rude were all set to go on their own mission, only Justus and Elena could handle the problem.

Setting the bag on her desk, she grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair and slid it on, unaware that her office door had just opened. She didn't know that she wasn't alone until two hands grabbed her shoulders brusquely and somebody shouted, "BOO!"

"Holy shit!" she screamed, nearly losing her balance. Actually, the only reason she didn't topple to the ground was because two strong hands grabbed her around the waist and pulled her against their body. She heard him chuckle. "Damn you, Reno!" she shouted.

"Sorry, babe. I couldn't resist," he laughed. He secured his grip around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Are you getting ready to leave?"

"Yes," she said, trying to regain her composer, but finding it difficult to do so in Reno's arms. "And, why the bleeding hell are you still here? I thought you and Rude…"

"We're about to go," he said, and strangely, his voice sounded somewhere between a sigh and a whisper. "Just got through equipping myself, actually. That's why I'm here. Saw your light on and figured that you might want some company. But, it seems you've got business to take care of. So, where are you going?"

"Great Glacier," she said, moving out of his grip and grabbing her bag. She didn't expect Reno to take it from her and hoist it over his own shoulder. "What are you…?"

"What? Didn't expect me to do something so chivalrous?" He smiled and stepped closer to her, setting it back on the desk. "When do you leave?"

"Just as soon as Justus gets here," she answered, all too aware that Reno had backed her into her own desk.

"Are we…Argusin free?" he asked, his eyebrows rising.

Elena dredged up her most insulted face and slapped him on his shoulder. "What kind of stupid question is that? I told you I wouldn't do that anymore, didn't I? And that should be the end of it." She hoped he couldn't see passed her lie. She'd taken three just an hour ago.

"Don't get all mad, Laney. I was just asking." His arms went back around her and pulled her close to him. "And I'm glad to hear it. You don't need that shit to be a good Turk."

"Of course not. I just need a rookie to make me look better." Reno laughed.

"Hey, that's what made me look good," he said, squeezing her a bit harder. "And hell, you made me look damn good!" Reno smiled at her scandalized face before leaning down a bit to capture her mouth with his. Elena put her arms around him and sighed into the kiss.

And then, out of nowhere, they heard a gasp and then somebody clear their throat. Reno groaned angrily before looking up at the open doorway. "Can't you see we're having a moment here, you dumb ass?"

Justus looked utterly horrified. Reno was the last person on the planet that he wanted to cross…again. "I'm sorry," he said, trying to sound as if he weren't frightened at all. "I didn't realize that you weren't alone, Elena. And, furthermore, had I known that you and your boyfriend…"

"We aren't together," Reno said, sounding insulted.

"You'd better not be," came another voice. A very familiar voice. Justus turned around and gasped again. Tall as he was, he'd probably never met another man who was taller than him. Yet, Rude didn't even bother to spare him a glance. Instead, he stared over his sunglasses at Reno. "You know Tseng's rule about interoffice dating."

"If I really wanted to date Laney, you think that'd stop me?"

"Good point," Rude smiled.

Elena was mortified. Did everybody have to know that she and Reno were…whatever it was that they were. Not dating, but more than friends. Did that make them friends with benefits? No. That definitely wasn't it. He'd made it perfectly clear that he wouldn't let it get that far.

"Well, we don't have time to waste, Reno. You know Tseng and Rufus expect results as soon as possible, and we can't very well do that if we stay here, now can we?"

"Quite right," he said, rolling his eyes. "I would hate to piss off the president."

"Not to mention our boss," Justus muttered. Too loud. Reno's cold eyes glared at him, and, for the first time, Justus didn't cower under his gaze. In fact, he looked almost defiant. As if he was silently saying he was done being intimidated.

"Nobody asked you, damned rookie!"

"Reno," Elena started, trying to turn his attention back to her.

"Gods, aren't you a veritable jack off?" Justus said drolly. "Tseng warned me about you, but I'd thought he was just over-exaggerating. It seems everybody's got you figured out just perfectly. An authentic asshole."

Before Reno had the chance to reply, Justus was suddenly hoisted off the ground and slammed into the wall with a loud bang. The force of the impact caused some of the pictures on Elena's wall to crash to the floor. But, nobody paid any mind to that right now. All eyes were on Rude.

"You watch your mouth," he warned. "Reno is your superior, and as it stands, the most authoritative person in this room. Or, has Tseng failed to mention that Reno is Second in Command?"

"No," Justus said, surprising Rude by being able to break his grip and ripping his hands off of him. "He did mention that, as a matter of fact. How he became Second in Command is beyond me. He's rude, uncouth, and totally unprofessional."

They all heard him cock his gun. Now Reno commanded the attention as he aimed at Justus. "If your really that curious, I'll be happy to give you a demonstration as to how I achieved this position."

It seemed Justus had finally reverted back to the terrified rookie. Not another word was spoken. At least, not until Elena put a calming hand on Reno's arm to lower the gun. Reno didn't look away from Justus, even as he replaced his gun in his holster.

"How tedious this is getting," Elena said. "Honestly, boys, if we're going to play together, we all must learn how to get along."

"Bite your tongue, Laney," Rude said, still surprised at the strength Justus had inadvertently displayed. "He'll never fit in here."

"Oh stop that," she reproached, though she was smiling playfully. "He'll find his place here given time. Trust me, Justus. They were like this to me too when I first joined. And now, Rude protects me as though I were his little sister, and Reno…well…"

"Makes out with you in your office," he said bitterly.

Reno reached for his gun again, but Elena grabbed his elbow to stop him. "Well, you get the point," she laughed.

"What the hell is so damned funny?" Reno asked, his eyes coming back to hers.

"This ridiculous battle of the manhoods is amusing me. And, it has gotten us nowhere. We all have places to be, if I'm not mistaken. So, why don't you and Rude just hug me good-bye, wish us luck, and we'll see you later?"

"She's getting damned lippy," Rude said, though he couldn't hide his smirk as he approached her. "Too lippy if you ask me."

"Nobody asked you," she said as his arms came around her briefly.

"Be careful," Reno said as he took her into his embrace. "And keep a close eye on him. He's likely to screw up." That was the last thing he said before his lips grazed her cheek and then, he turned away from her and was gone.

She stared at the doorway for a moment before Justus' presence caught her attention again. He was staring at her with inquisitiveness, his blonde brow cocked. "What?" she asked, grabbing her bag.

"Is he really the best you can do?"

"I take offense to that, first of all. Reno is a good man. You just have to get to know him and realize that he does have that mean exterior. It took me years to see what was underneath."

"I'll have to take your word on that," he said, following her out into the hall and waiting as she locked the door to her office. "But still…you seem like such a sweet girl. The type of girl who dates to find a husband and settle down. Reno doesn't seem the type to happily oblige."

"Oh he's not," she agreed. "And I'm definitely not planning on reforming him. We've already discussed this, as if it were any of your business. But, as he said before, we aren't dating, and we probably won't ever date."

Justus smiled. "Well, that's good news," he said, stepping into the elevator.

It took a moment for his words to hit her. And when they did, she was confused. "What do you mean by that?" she asked, looking up at him. And then, he flashed her a smile. A blinding, heartwarming smile. Gods, how had she not noticed how unquestionably handsome he was?

Sure, the women around the office were all abuzz about the new Turk. How tall and stunning, dashing and debonair. His hair was a honey brown, falling in messy curls around his ears. His eyes were lime green. His skin was tanned, probably since he had lived in Costa Del Sol before moving to Midgar. And the man's body. Gods. Was there anything more perfect. Broad shoulders, a wide chest, a narrow waist and long legs.

"Are you cold, Elena?" he asked roguishly. "You're trembling."

"No," she said without thinking. But then, she realized the error in that. Now he knew she was trembling because of him.

He leaned closer to her and smiled. "To answer your question, Laney, may I call you Laney?" She nodded. "Well- Laney, I'm glad that nothing will come of this closeness between you and Reno. Frankly, I don't think I could have dealt with the jealousy."

"Jealousy? Justus, you can't possibly like me. You barely know me, and you're much to young for me."

"Oh, I assure you, Laney. I do like you. You are the only person here who stands up for me and talks to me. It started off as appreciation, and then, as we continued to talk, it grew. And…how old do you think I am?"

"Twenty-two?" she asked.

Suddenly he laughed. Such a rich and hearty laugh. "Who told you I was twenty-two? Elena, I'm twenty-eight. I think that makes me older than you by at least three years."

"Justus…"

"You don't have to say anything now, Elena. I know that you and Reno are enjoying whatever it is that you have. But, just know that when you get tired of the aimless relationship and meaningless kisses, I'll be here, ready to treat you right. And you deserve to be treated right."

"Justus," Elena breathed. "Do me a favor. Let's not talk about this until after the mission, alright?"

She didn't think she could handle it anymore anyway. The butterflies in her stomach had gone from a few to at least a thousand. She felt as though she were going to collapse to the ground. Never in her life had somebody confessed infatuation quite like that. And she'd be lying if she said she didn't find him attractive or sweet either. And, it wasn't as if she were committed to Reno. But still, just looking at Justus, just imagining what it'd be like to kiss him right there in the elevator, made her feel as if she were stabbing Reno in the back.


	9. Unexpected

**Tengoko: I'm sorry that it's taken so long. But, I can explain. Freshmen orientation. I just got back yesterday, and was too tired to even look at a computer. Anyway, updates should be coming the way they used to. I'd like to thank everybody who's been reviewing. I never expected to get this kind of response for this story. I really appreciate it. Well, I've talked enough. I'll let you get on with the story. Please R&R. Enjoy.  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 9: Unexpected**

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The sun was just beginning to come up by the time they got to Great Glacier. They wasted no time getting their things from the chopper before heading up the icy, mountain path. Elena stopped for a moment to take in the crisp, chilly air. Dear Gods. It had been so long since she'd been here. And everything had changed.

But, she didn't have enough time to reflect on that. Justus hadn't been tempted to stop and smell the roses, so to speak, and Elena soon found herself being left behind by the rookie. "Wait!" she called after him, trying her best to run and not slip all at once.

"Sorry," he said sincerely. "I must be more anxious than I thought."

"Well, get that out of your system now, Justus. This isn't training. This is the real thing. If you screw up, it's not only your ass, but my ass on the line. So, listen to everything I say and if I stop walking, you'd better stop too. Never leave a man behind unless it's absolutely necessary. Got that?"

He nodded. "I understand."

Elena spared him one last glance before stepping in front of him and taking the lead. It was a strange feeling. Being in charge. Usually, she always followed the orders or Rude or Reno, and on occasion, Tseng. It'd never been up to her. And she was beginning to realize and appreciate how hard that must be on Tseng and Reno. It had to be tough knowing that one bad call could get everybody killed. And now, that responsibility was in her hands.

"So, how many are we talking about?" Justus asked after a while, pulling his thick coat around him more snuggly.

"There will be about fifteen to twenty," she answered. "Nothing we can't handle. I've once heard that Reno and Rude took out forty by themselves. Of course, I'm sure they over exaggerated, but I wouldn't put it passed them. The point is, a Turk has got to be better than numbers. The amount is irrelevant."

"And the leader, how will we recognize him?"

"You afraid you're going to kill him before you realize who it is?" She smiled and shook her head. "Don't worry. You'll know him when you see him. Now remember, you aren't to kill him unless you definitely have to. Tseng wants him brought in."

That was the last that they spoke for a long time. The wind began to pick up and the fast falling snow began to obscure their path. Elena tried as long as she possibly could to brave the elements. But even she knew that a storm like this would have to be waited out.

Turning towards Justus, she shouted, "We'll stop here! Help me set up the tent!"

He hadn't heard her. But he could read her lips, and nodded before dropping his bag and pulling the tent out. To say that it took a while for them to put the tent up would be an understatement. Battling the winds, the snow, and each other, it was quite an ordeal. But, they did get it eventually, and were grateful now that they sat within the tarp which shielded them from the bitter frost.

Elena was wrapped in three thick blankets, but she was still shivering. She wished Reno was there. Closing her eyes, she began to imagine him taking her into his arms and holding her against his chest, using his warmth to keep her warm in turn. She heard herself sigh as the vision became more vivid. It felt so real.

And then she realized why. Justus was suddenly holding her against him, wrapping her and him in yet another blanket. She heard his heartbeat with such clarity, that the realness of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks. She tried to bolt to her feet, but she was tangled in the blankets, and it only managed to settle her into his lap. He must have thought that's what she was trying to do, because without warning, his lips were on her neck, leaving warm kisses.

"Justus," she said, putting her hands on his chest to push him away. "You don't want to do this. Not with me. I'm not your type."

"Opposites attract," he smiled, kissing the corner of her mouth. "And I'm so attracted to you."

"Jus-" but that was all she got out. She was silenced by his hungry, voracious kiss. And, tried as hard as she might, there was no way to stop him. What was worse…she liked it and didn't want him to stop. Gods, he kissed like a professional. He kissed just as good as Reno. But…it was different still. Something about it just couldn't compare to Reno's kisses.

"Are you still cold, Laney?" he asked against her cheek. She nodded. "I know a delightful little way of keeping warm."

Elena laughed. "There's no way of missing the meaning there, Justus. That said, I'm going to have to decline right now. This is neither the time, nor the place to have sex. Besides, we barely know each other. What kind of girl do you think I am? Just because I kiss Reno doesn't mean I'm one of his little whores."

"Laney, let's not pretend there is no chemistry between us. And it's not as if we're wasting time. I mean, either we sit here and do nothing, or we can do something…together."

"Justus," she whispered. Gods. He was just too tempting by half.

"It's about loyalty isn't it?" he asked. "To Reno? Now, before you answer, tell me one thing." He moved in closer, his lips grazing against her cheek. "Do you honestly think that in that respect, Reno will be loyal to you?"

That did it. Those last words were what closed the gap between her lips and his. Words that had her hands all over him, trying to feel the warm skin beneath his many layers of clothing. Words that ultimately had her lying under him, taking in his fevered thrusts, crying out his name, but really wanting to call out for somebody else. It wasn't fair. Not to any of them. Not to her for being denied who she really wanted. Not Justus who was just a substitution for that which she truly desired. And not to Reno. To Reno, most of all.

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Later  
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They watched in silence. And not just because they didn't want to be heard. In fact, they hadn't spoken a word since they'd made love in the tent. That was mostly her doing. He'd tried to speak, but she'd grunt or clear her throat, indicating that it'd be wiser not to talk to her.

She wasn't mad at him. No. She was mad at herself. She used him, utterly and without excuse. All the pent up amorous emotions that'd been flung at her from both Justus and Reno just exploded in a heat of unintended passion that she was sure to regret for a long time coming. And it was nobody's fault but her own.

Gods. Her hands were beginning to shake. Was it fear? Anxiety? Guilt? Or, more importantly, did she need more ArgusinDSA? It was too late to worry about that now. Any sudden movement could possibly attract attention from they hiding place high above their targets, and she couldn't risk the job for something selfish like that.

"That's him," she whispered to Justus, pointing her finger at a giant of a man emerging from his own tent. He was not the only one to groan. This man was…well, no other way to describe it. He was large. Tall and wide, and had to be one hundred percent solid muscle. It was no wonder he was the leader. Anybody would be foolish to try to oppose him.

"And how, may I ask, are we to bring that bear of a man back to Midgar without somebody getting killed?"

"Shut up," she said instead of answering.

He'd lifted his arms up to silence the sixteen men that'd gathered around him. It was no surprise that it was very effective. Even so, the man said nothing. Just walked back and forth, his eyes never leaving his men.

"What's he doing?" Justus asked.

"Addressing his men, it seems."

"Brothers," he said, his voice deep and bellowing. "The time has come to act. For nearly a month, we've been forced into hiding, forced to live in this wintry hell. Barely enough to eat. On the brink of insanity. And for what? FOR WHAT?" he screamed maniacally. "Rufus Shinra still sits in that cozy little office, overlooking his pathetic pride. Midgar. A city he thinks he's changed for the better. But we all know different, don't we?"

Shouts from his men. Justus looked at Elena and noticed that she'd turned onto her back and was checking her guns. Before Justus did the same, she handed him a grenade and looked at him sternly. "I'm going around to that crevice over there, and then I am going to make my way down. You stay here and wait. I'm going to draw him out of there, and once he's a safe distance, you throw that grenade down there. Got me? Five seconds is all you have after taking the pin out. Count to two and then throw."

"How are you going to lure him away."

She smiled. "Criminal or not, I know that this man operates on a system of ancient honor. All I need to do is challenge him to a private duel and he'll accept. Especially once I tell him that I'm a Turk. He'll take me away from here. Once we're out of sight, kill them all."

"But…then you…"

"I can handle myself, Justus. Remember who the rookie is. Okay?"

Rising to her feet, she crouched low and took off, disappearing behind a rock and into the darkness. Now, all Justus had to do was wait.

"We were driven out of Midgar," the man continued. "His cronies, the Turks, they are no longer going to scare us. We will fight them, and we will kill them. And then, we will kill Rufus Shinra. We'll take back Midgar. We'll take the world, and we'll show the people real prosperity."

"Is that so?"

Justus' eyes widened. How the deuce did she get down there so fast? And she was calm. She stood amidst a bunch of men who'd love nothing more than to tear her apart, and she maintained her poise. Justus couldn't help but admire her.

"How'd you get here?" the man asked, turning around and drawing a long, curved blade.

"Put that away, Havre. I'm not here to fight a bloody battle to the death with you and your men. I have something more diplomatic in mind. In the end, only one of us will have to die, and you'll be assured your men won't be amongst the casualties."

"How's that?" he asked, not dropping his sword.

"A duel," she said, stepping closer. "A private duel between you and I. The stakes are simple. If I win, I get to go home to Midgar and tell my president that I've succeeded in taking out the leader of a rebel organization. He'll be rather pleased, and it could mean a promotion for me."

"And if I win," he raised his thick, black brow. "What will I get?"

"I'd think it's rather straightforward. I'm a Turk. I'm sure you've already guessed as much. Now, if you kill me, just think what that'll do for your cause. Your first enemy casualty and bragging rights. Not everybody can kill a Turk, you know. And I'm sure in doing so, you'll definitely get Rufus Shinra's attention."

"How do I know this isn't a trap?" he asked warily. "I know that you Turks rarely ever travel alone. There were three of you last time you blew up my headquarters. You killed nearly all of my men. I had hundreds staying in that facility. And now, sixteen."

"I assure you, I'm alone. My helicopter went down just over those mountains there. I was the only survivor."

"And not a scratch on you. How is that possible?"

"Dear man. I'm a Turk. We all know that makes me capable of impossible things. But, we really are prolonging this. Are we to duel or not?"

"I don't think-"

"Then consider this: Your men, those hundreds that died in the explosion. I'll bet you'll give anything to avenge their deaths. I know, that's how I'd feel. This is the best opportunity for that, Havre. You see, I'm the one that set the bomb. I'm the one who killed them all. So…are we dueling?"

"You bet your scrawny ass we're dueling," he snarled. "And I'll pick the weapon. Pistols."

"Sounds reasonable. And they'll be no need for a second, Havre. I don't have one, so it'd only be fair to deny you one as well. However, if you wish to bring along your servant to check the weapons, you're welcome to."

"No, you'll check mine. I'll check yours. Now, come with me."

Elena nodded and stepped aside, letting him walk passed her before following him up a steep path. Two minutes passed, they'd climbed towards the peak. And then, the explosion. Havre reeled about so quickly that he'd nearly lost his balance, but he'd caught himself. His eyes widened as the bright yellow rose above the rocks, telling him that his base, along with his men, had just gone up in flames.

Elena smiled smugly. Her plan had worked. She'd finally been brilliant all on her own. Reno and Rude will be so proud of her. Her smile got wider. And, unfortunately, she didn't seem to notice that it only made Havre angrier.

"Why you conniving little bitch!" he snarled. She took in a sharp breath, and then couldn't breath after that. His gun, he'd somehow taken it out without her realizing it. And now, it was pointing right at her. Stupidly, she reached for her own. Too late. He pulled the trigger.


	10. Severed Trust

**Tengoko: Told you I'd update sooner. Sorry about the cliffhanger in the last chapter. I did it because I knew this chapter would be up fast. Even though it was difficult to right. Feedback would be greatly appreciated for this one. It is 1:30 in the morning, and while it looks good now, it could be very different at noon tomorrow. So, please review. Thanks. Enjoy the chapter.  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 10: Severed Trust**

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It had been such a trying night. He knew the moment the helicopter had landed and Tseng was waiting for him and his partner that the evening was off to a horrible start. They'd approached him quickly and told them that they'd succeeded in their mission and then handed themt he package that they'd acquired. But Tseng didn't seem to care about any of that. It didn't surprise them. He usually seemed disinterested about their missions unless he was personally involved in them.

No, he'd come for different reasons. Well, at least one reason. Bad news. He was used to being the bearer of bad news. But for some reason, this one was tough. It took him nearly a moment to get the words right in his head, even though they'd been in order before the helicopter had landed. And in the end, all he got out was her name. Reno and Rude naturally drew conclusions from that. The tone of his voice and the nature of his carriage were enough to tell them that something horrible had happened to Elena.

Tseng told them that she'd been taken to the hospital, and that doctors were operating on her as they spoke. He blamed it on her and Justus for not having enough sense to take along a cure materia or a potion, not even one. And now, it was too late for that. The wound was serious, and she'd slipped into unconsciousness just as they'd arrived in Midgar. The bullet had still been inside of her, too close to her heart for Justus to tryit get out on his own.

The whole night had been touch and go. Twice, Elena had gone into cardiac arrest. Twice, they'd all been on their feet, fearing the worse. Fearing that they'd be told that Elena had died. And nobody had taken it harder than Reno. He hadn't said a word all night. Hadn't moved except for two times. And when the doctor came out and told them that she could now receive visitors, Reno was the first to his feet and was in the room before anybody else could object.

"Let's just give him time alone," Rude said, holding his hand in front of Tseng to prevent him from following Reno. "You can begin your investigation afterward."

Meanwhile, Reno stood on the other side of the door and tried to take in the sight in front of him now. Elena was asleep on the hospital bed, covered in white blankets. There were all sorts of wires connected to her. And the only sound was the continuous beeps fromt the heart monitor. Reno closed his eyes. He couldn't stand seeing her like this.

He walked slowly over to her bed and took a seat in the chair next to it. He took her hand into both of his and put her fingers to his lips, staring at her as though he could will her to wake up. When she didn't move, though he didn't expect her to, he found himself beginning to worry. And it was a strange feeling. He'd never in his life been scared for somebody, scared of losing somebody. But Elena had changed so many things for him. He cared about her. Damn it, he cared about her, and he wasn't going to let her die.

"Reno," Rude said, as he opened the door and walked into the hospital room. "Tseng wants to talk to you."

Reno didn't turn around to look at him. His blue eyes were fixed on Elena. "Then you can tell our boss that if he wants to have a word with me, then he can come and here and say it. I'm not leaving." He didn't hear Rude answer. Probably because he didn't. But he did hear the door close, and then there was silence; silence and the droning beeps of the heart monitor.

"…Reno?" Her voice was so soft, he wasn't sure if he'd actually heard it at first. Rising a little from his seat, he put his hand on her forehead and noticed that her eyes were opened partially. He smiled, his spirits suddenly soaring and his heart leaping for joy. "Reno, what happened?"

"You don't remember, Laney?" he asked just as softly as she was speaking. He gave her a moment to try, but suddenly, she started crying. Reno stood up and leaned over her, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her forehead. "Hey, hey. It's okay."

But she kept crying. Not tears of pain, but tears of guilt. Though, there was no way Reno could possibly know that. "Oh Reno, I'm so sorry."

He looked down at her, his face showing just how confused she'd made him. "Sorry for what?"

What 'what' was, though, had to wait, because before Elena could answer, the door flew open and suddenly, every single Turk was in the room. "She's awake?" Tseng asked, walked towards the bed. "Good. Now I can get some answers."

"What are you talking about?" Reno asked, holding her tighter, as if ready to protect her from their seemingly furious boss.

"Are you in a lot of pain, Elena? Of course you are," he answered himself offhandedly. "The doctors have just told me that they can't give you morphine. It seems, that it was what was responsible for you going into cardiac arrest when you got here, and again a few hours later."

"What are you getting at?" Reno stood up straight and looked at him. "I could be wrong, but I didn't think morphine could do that?"

"Not on its own," Tseng said. "At the most, an overdose would induce a coma, but they gave her the standard amount. So, it had to be because of something else."

"What the doctors are thinking," Rude began, his arms crossed, "is that there's another drug in her system that didn't react well with the morphine. And you know," he looked at Reno knowingly, "I have a good feeling that I know what drug they are talking about, though _they_ don't know what it is."

"Why's that?" Tseng asked, now the one out of the loop.

"Because nobody knows about it," Reno said, comprehending Rude's meaning right away. "Nobody knows about it because it's not on the market yet." He tensed up and turned around to look at her. "You promised me, Elena."

"What's going on?" Tseng looked back and forth between Rude and Reno, and when nobody seemed in a hurry to answer, he finally shouted. "I'd better get some answers, and fast!"

"Nothing that can't be handled, Tseng." Rude seemed quite confident of that. Elena looked at him, glad that he wore his dark shades, sure that his eyes conveyed a deep disappointment. But, she wasn't left to wonder about that for long. Rude did take off his sunglasses, and stared at her. She was right. Disappointment. "Isn't that right, Laney?"

"And if it isn't," Reno added, "you'll be the first to know. Unfortunately, however, it seems that Elena will have to deal with the pain. It'd be best for her if her system was kept clean."

"Meaning that there's something already in her system?" Tseng asked, never able to just leave well enough alone. "Are you taking drugs, Elena. Because if you are, you'll have no choice but to place yourself in rehab or you'll face termination."

"Don't worry Tseng. It's nothing that serious," Reno said. Luckily, Tseng couldn't see through the lie.

"I'm lost," Justus said, making his presence known to Elena. Gods. She wished he hadn't. Him being in the room broke back an unwanted memory that she'd just as soon get out of her mind. Yet, she knew that it'd be a long time before she did any such thing. Especially since she knew that Rude and Reno were probably about to find out.

"When'd you get here?" Reno snapped. Apparently, he didn't know that Justus was there either. "Why are you here?"

"I'm a Turk, you ass!" he countered. "And besides, I care about Laney."

Rude practically growled before saying, "what did you call her?" He balled his hands into a fist and glared at him maliciously. "You can't call her that. That's our name for her. Got it?" Elena smiled appreciatively at him. Always protective. If she ever had a big brother, she'd imagine he'd be like Rude.

"I have her permission to call her that," Justus said haughtily. "And, while we're on the subject of nicknames, I'd say I have more right to call her 'Laney' than anybody here."

"And why's that?" Tseng asked out of curiosity, though he didn't really care who called who what.

"Because I know her better," he said simply, looking at Reno as though daring him to challenge that.

But, it wasn't Reno that jumped at it. "Bull shit," Rude grumbled.

"Rude, you and Reno may have known her longer…but trust me…I definitely_know_ her."

Nobody missed the insinuation there. Elena groaned loudly, but that was the only sound in the room. Everybody else had gone eerily silent. Tseng looked as if he'd been spat at and slapped in the face. Rude looked as if he'd been socked in the stomach. But she couldn't read Reno. Though, she was sure that he'd paled. In truth, Reno felt as though all of those things had been done to him.

It couldn't be true. Elena wouldn't do that. She had more sense to sleep with a man that he'd warned her about. A man so dead set against Reno and Rude. Surely, their friendship meant more than that. But, there was something else. It was like he'd been kicked in the groin. Just when he was beginning to admit that he had feelings for her that were more than friendly, leaning towards affection, she went and gave herself to a man that he hated. It would have been better if she had just kicked him.

"Gods, is it true?" Tseng asked in disbelief. "Is it, Elena?"

"For your sake, Justus, you'd better hope it's not," Rude warned.

"It is," Elena affirmed. She looked at Reno. He seemed to have shrunk at those words.

"I don't believe this," Tseng said, looking back towards Justus. "How did this happen? How is it that you both managed to get to Great Glacier, infiltrate and enemy base, get Elena shot and still find time to make love?"

"There was a blizzard," Justus explained. "And we had to stay in a tent for a little while, and with no other way to keep warm…well, you know…"

"No. I can't have this on my team, not in the Turks. I believe that I told you my policy on interoffice, dating, did I not? And on your first mission, you disregard it all. And you, Elena," he turned to face her now. "I expected better from you. More restraint, especially from my most dedicated Turk. What possessed you to do this?"

She could have cried from shame at that point. "I wasn't thinking, Tseng."

"No, you weren't," Reno agreed. "Of all people, it had to be him. You don't even know him."

"I don't believe this," Justus groaned. "I kiss Elena and I'm suddenly breaking company policy. Reno kisses Elena and nobody gives a damn. How's that fair?"

Tseng's eyes widened and now his attention was on Reno. "You kissed Elena?"

"Yes," he said quietly. "But, you have my word that I won't be doing that again."

He might as well have just plunged a knife in her heart. That's what if felt like. He hadn't even looked at her when he said it. He hadn't said it coldly, viciously or as a joke. No emotion was put behind it. And that's what hurt the most.

"Furthermore, I didn't go as far as having sex with her either, so his argument is baseless anyway."

Tseng sighed. "Well, there's nothing we can do about this now. Elena needs to get better first. Now, I'm going to report back to the president. He's very interested to hear how the mission went. And it's a good thing Justus got his hands on Havre, or he'd be very upset with all of us right now."

"If that's a hint to go easy on him, Tseng, I'm afraid we aren't going to take the bait."

Tseng laughed and said, "No, I suppose not. I didn't think it would work. But, it was worth a shot. In that case, you'll be coming with me Justus. I would hate to return only to find my newest Turk in another hospital room hooked up to an artificial lung."

It took a few seconds for Justus to move, but he willingly left with Tseng. Another moment of silence ensued. Nobody moved. It seemed as if nobody breathed. Elena could have died. And she probably would, seeing how Rude looked ready to commit murder. Though, she couldn't be sure. He'd already put his sunglasses back on.

He cleared his throat before talking. "So, we've been betrayed twice today," he said. "First, we find out that you lied to both of us. Done with ArgusinDSA are you? Won't take it again will you? And then we find out that you slept with a man that we both warned you about. So, not only do we find out that you don't give a damn about what we say, but we also know that your word is worth shit."

"No. It's not like that. Giving up Argusin isn't as easy as I thought it'd be."

"Nobody said it was going to be easy," Reno said. "That's why you should have come to us if you were having problems with it. But, I have a question, Elena. Did you even try to quit?" She didn't answer. "Yeah. That's what I thought."

"Do we really mean so little to you?" Rude asked. "Have we not proved time and again that we'd risk our lives for you? We can't say that about just anybody, Laney. We've done so much for you. And when we ask you to do something for us, you don't even try."

"I'm sorry."

"It's too late for that," Rude said.

"What do you mean?" she asked, beginning to become a little unnerved now.

"We're going to help you with this addiction. We're going to make you quit, like it or not. And then, we're going to kick Justus' ass."

"But after that," Reno continued, "we're back to square one. You're going to have to earn our trust back, and that's not going to be easy, Elena. But, even harder, you're going to have to earn our respect and our friendship back."

She was crying now. "Are you saying that we aren't friends anymore?"

"Yeah. Pretty much," Rude said easily. It killed her. The man that she'd come to revere and admire. The man she'd come to look at as her big brother. He no longer cared about her. No longer looked at her as a friend, as family. "Have a good rest, Elena. See you at work. That is, when you're up to it." That was his by your leave. He used to hug her good-bye. But, she guessed those days were over.

"Stop crying, Elena," Reno said, straightening his jacket. "Stop pretending as if this is the worst thing that's ever happened to you."

"But it is," she insisted through her tears. "Nothing can possible be worse than this. I lost both you and Rude."

"That's your own fault," he said, turning to finally look at her. His eyes were expressionless and his face was neutral. It only made her cry harder. "Gods, Elena. Stop it!"

"I can't! Look, you can tell me that I'm never going to take Argusin again. You can tell me that I can no longer go on missions, that I'm no longer a Turk. You can tell me that this bullet wound in my chest is going to kill me in a week. None of that would matter to me. Because none of it would hurt as much as this. Don't you get it? I need both of you. But mostly…I need you."

At that, Reno tore his eyes away from her and up towards the ceiling. "I wish I could believe that, Elena. But, I find it really difficult to do that seeing how only yesterday you were lying under Justus."

"Reno…"

"Trust me, Elena. As much as this hurts you…it's hurting me even more. You lied to me. You betrayed our friendship, and for what? Pills. For fucking pills!" he screamed. "I don't know if you and I will ever be square again, Elena. And for that matter, I don't even know if I want to put forth the effort to fix us. It's not worth it."

"Reno, please. You don't mean that."

"Care to put money on that," he said harshly. And he left it at that. Even as she called his name out, trying to stop him, he walked towards the door and stepped into the hallway. The door closed behind him, making her voice sound distant. Ironic. She was distant. She'd fallen away from him. And now, Reno wasn't sure if he wanted to reach out and pull her back.

Inside the room, Elena felt an enormous pressure in her chest. She felt as though she'd just been hit with an anvil. If she ever needed ArgusinDSA, now was the time. But, there was no way to get her hands on it. And she was certain that Reno and Rude would be heading to her apartment to get the last few bottles. She grunted angrily. If they took her Argusin away, she'd have nothing. She definitely didn't have them anymore. So, it only meant one thing. She'd need to find another outlet...another means of attaining a sense of normalcy...a substitute for ArgusinDSA.


	11. The Omnipotent Tseng

**Tengoko: Sorry for the wait. Writer's block. This chapter was actually pretty fun to write though, once it got going. So, I hope you like it. Tell me what you think. Enjoy.  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 11: The Omnipotent Tseng**

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She was alone. Both figuratively and literally. She sat curled up in a ball on the edge of her couch, vaguely listening to the television. But, her thoughts were somewhere else. On the past week. The pain she'd endured waiting for the ArgusinDSA to leave her system. She wanted to die. Wished she could. But the damned doctors wouldn't let her.

That feeling hadn't left yet. She still wished for death. Still longed for the cold, silent, grasp of the lifelessness to consume her, to take her soul, to end her longing. Longing. But for what? In the passed few days, she'd tried so many drugs, so many drinks. But nothing could replace the high that ArgusinDSA gave her.

Her apartment was a veritable mess. Even as she looked around now, she thought to herself that she needed to clean up. But, she couldn't muster the will or the want to stand up and get to the task. What was the point? What was the point of anything really? Her work, her home life, her life in general.

Suddenly, she heard a pounding on her door. Her hands went straight up to her temples, trying to drown out the reverberating ringing in her ears. Maybe if she was quiet enough, the unwanted visitor would assume she wasn't in, and then they would leave.

But that didn't happen. The door flew open and she looked up to see Tseng making his way towards her. He looked angry. Hell, he looked more than angry. In fact, she'd never quite seen him like this.

"What the hell is this?" he asked, kicking the trash around his feet. "More importantly, what the hell is this?" He threw a paper down at her and Elena only had to glance at it once to know what it was.

"I'd think it's pretty simple," she said. "My resignation."

Tseng sighed and cleared off a spot on the coffee table so he could have a seat. Grabbing the bridge of his nose he said, "I'm worried about you, Elena. Before now, you lived for the job. And out of nowhere, it's like you don't care about anything."

"I don't," she confirmed. "So, I'd appreciate it if you left now."

"I can't do that. I'm not going to let you quit, Elena. You need this job. You need it more than I need it. And I'll tell you, I need it pretty damn bad. Elena, you'll die without it. It's what motivates you. Keeps you going. I can't in good conscience let you leave now when I know it will destroy you."

"I didn't know Turks were allowed to have a conscience," she said rudely.

"Oh, cut the crap, Elena," he groaned. "You know me better than that. Or…at least I thought you did. Or, were you confused by the fact that I refused to respond to your romantic gestures? Well, if it means anything, Elena, I did like you. I liked you a lot. But, as far as there being an us, it could never have happened. I am your boss. And, to tell you the truth, for years, I gave you the easy missions just so I knew you'd be safe. It wasn't until recently that Rufus Shinra talked me into giving you the harder missions. But, by then, my feelings for you had become completely platonic."

Elena could only stare at him now. "But, you still care about me?" she asked, fighting tears that she was so reluctant to let go of.

"As though you were my own daughter, Elena. Don't ask me how I went from viewing you with desire to fatherly affection. I'm not even sure. Perhaps it's because I'm responsible for you, Elena. Everything you do, I have to worry about. And it's like that with Reno and Rude. Of course, I don't look at them as though they were my sons. Even I'm not that desperate for offspring."

Elena laughed. But then she coughed. "Tseng, I know that I'm losing control," she said softly. "I know that if I don't stop, I'm never going to find my way back. But, I'm not ready to get help yet."

"I think you are, Elena. For that matter, I think you need help even more than you yourself realize. I don't even know what's going on with you Elena. I know it's got something to do with substance abuse. Trust me, I've seen enough of that to recognize it. And I've see what it does to people who don't seek help before it's too late. I don't want that to happen to you, Elena. Nobody does."

"Who cares if it kills me?" she asked, reverting back to her melodrama. "I know none of the Turks give a damn about me, and I'm not even sure if I give a damn about myself. So what if I die from all this? At least it would mean an end to all of this." She looked around, motioning to the mess around her. But mostly, to the world. "Between this life and the next, I'd choose the latter any day."

"Oh Gods. You sound so much like he had."

"Like who?"

"Like…well, the thing is, we don't talk about it anymore. It happened so long ago, and we all agreed to forget about it and pretend like it never happened so long as it never happened again. And it never did. Until now. It's just, this time, it's you."

"If you don't start making sense, Tseng, I swear, I'll take my own life here and now."

"I doubt it," he said, leaning forward and pulling the throw off of her. "Get up and get dressed, Elena. I'm going to get you out of here for a little while." She opened her mouth to protest but he cut her off. "Don't argue with me, Elena. You are still a Turk as far as I'm concerned, and therefore you are obligated to do whatever I order you to. And yes, it was an order, not a request. I'll wait here."

Elena scowled at him before standing up and staggering towards her bedroom. Damn him. How dare he do this to her; order her to go to some unknown destination with him when she'd rather stay at home and drink away reality. She sat down on the floor and pulled some clothes out of her drawer.

Long sleeves. She had to stick with long sleeves for a while. The tell tale bruises on the crux of her arm revealed what she was using to replace Argusin. Still, heroine wasn't enough. And soon, she'd have to find something to use in conjunction with it to get her in the same place that Argusin got her to.

After sliding on her baby blue turtleneck, her dark blue jeans and her black boots, she pulled herself up and walked back into the living room where Tseng was waiting. He was standing up, his arms behind his back as usual. He saw her and nodded before walking towards her and taking her by the shoulder.

"Let's go, Elena."

"Not like I have a choice," she muttered. He chuckled as he opened the front door for her and led her into the hallway. "Where are we going?"

"It doesn't matter where we go, does it? I just don't think staying here and wallowing in depression and self-resentment is the best way for you to spend the rest of your day. I would take you to get some drinks, but again, that would be a bad idea considering…"

"I get it," she said.

They stepped into the elevator and once the doors closed, Tseng turned to her. "By the way, Justus is wondering how you are doing. I told him not to bother you. Was I right in doing that?"

"More than right," Elena said, feeling her face heat with anger. The thought of Justus Marquis made her blood boil. "I do want to say, that if I am to continue being a Turk, I do want another partner. If Rude and Reno won't do, hire somebody else or go on the missions with me yourself, but I am not going to go anywhere else with him ever again."

"I'll see what I can do," Tseng smiled, stepping out of the elevator and pulling her along with him. "And, as it is, I don't think Reno and Rude would be entirely up to going anywhere with you at the moment."

Elena looked down. "Thanks. I needed that reminder. Why don't you just squirt lemon juice in my eye while you're at it?" To her chagrin, Tseng smiled again.

"Elena, I can't explain to you why they did what they did. I know why they did it, and I can assure you, there is good reason for it. As it is, I wouldn't partner them with you right now, even if they requested it."

Elena looked up at him to question that, but then realized that they were already out in the parking garage and at his car. He opened the door for her and she automatically got in. It took him a few more seconds to walk around and get in himself. He sat for a moment, staring passed the windshield. "Elena, I know I said earlier that I wasn't going to tell you what I was talking about earlier. But, I think it'll help you to know that you aren't the only one who's needed help. So, I know where I'm going to take you."

"Where?"

"You'll see," he said, starting the car up. "Elena, this has to stay between us. If either of them find out that I told you, there'll be hell to pay. But, maybe this way, you'll learn the motives behind their actions."

"Their actions? Meaning Reno and Rude?"

Tseng didn't answer. Elena didn't bother trying to ask again. Instead, she stared out the window, wondering. Waiting. What could possibly justify abandoning a friend? She knew that if Reno or Rude had ever needed her, she would have been there for them in a heartbeat. And now, here she was, on the brink of contemplating suicide, and where were they?

Well, at this point, she didn't care what Tseng was going to show her. Nothing in the world could endear them to her again. So, she had to earn her way beck to where she once was with them? Screw it. She didn't want to be their friend again. Not if she had to earn the right. Not if she had to prove her loyalties all over again, to spend another five years sucking up to them.

Suddenly, the scenery was cut off by a wall of stone. They were in a tunnel. She turned to look at Tseng, but he had his eyes fixed on the road. If she wasn't mistaken, the tunnel was heading downwards. That could only mean they were heading towards the slums. But, what could possibly be in the slums that would interest the Turk?

"You are aware, Tseng, that no matter what happens to day, I'll never forgive them?"

"I figured you say something like that," he smiled. "But you might be singing a different tune by the end of the day. And…just to make you aware, Elena, no matter how many turtlenecks you wear, you aren't fooling me with the long sleeves." He glanced at her knowingly and his smile faded.

"How…?" she asked, bemused.

"There's a reason I'm head of the most covert team that Shinra has to offer. I'm good at making observations. While you might be able to hide certain things from others, even the other Turks, I am not easily fooled. Besides, I'm Tseng. I know all."

"You are infuriating is what you are," she grumbled.

"I'm glad you think so," he said. "With that in mind, we're here." He pulled over to the side and stepped out of the car. Elena followed suit and watched as he pulled some keys from his pocket and unlocked a brown door on the side of the tunnel. "We've got quite a way to climb, Elena. Perhaps I should have told you to change shoes."

"That would have been considerate of you," she said, sighting the ladder. "I'll go first. That way, if I fall, I can take you with me."

"There's the vindictive bitch I know and love," he laughed.

"Where does this ladder go anyway?" she asked, starting the ascent.

"To the top of the Sector Seven Plate."


	12. Mirror to the Past

**Tengoko: Sorry about taking so long. I had a bad case of writer's block that extended to all of my stories, not just this one. But, it's here now ;))! I'll try and be more diligent, but my classes will be starting soon. Don't worry though. I'm not going to leave this story unfinished. You'll get your updates. I promise. Well, at any rate, please review. Thank you. Enjoy  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 12: Mirror to the Past**

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The climb hadn't been too unpleasant. Sure, her arms were a little tired, and she had a blister on the back of her ankle. But all in all, it wasn't too bad. Tseng even lightened things up by cracking jokes. The funniest thing about them was that they weren't funny at all. But, he always managed to make himself laugh, and the mere stupidity made her laugh.

But, he wasn't smiling now. He'd sat beside her having kicked some debris out of the way. It was an utter mess. Wires, pipes, metal…all twisted and crushed together. The carnage was almost too much to look at. And it made her shudder to think that people had been caught underneath the falling plate, unable to save themselves. Helpless as they succumb to involuntary death.

"It's still hard for me to come here," Tseng said. "I remember when Rufus' father told me that this was going to be the fate of Sector Seven. I was outraged. Nearly got fired and shot that day. But, in the end, it was Reno that convinced me to stay. It went against everything I believed in."

"But, sir. You're a Turk. Orders are everything. Besides, killing is sort of what this job entails."

"Yes. Killing. Political assassinations. Government cover-ups. All usually targeted at enemies of Shin-Ra. But, the people in Sector Seven…they'd done nothing wrong. All innocents. And they were sentenced to death all because of a small group of people. I didn't think it was right to kill so many just to get back at Avalanche."

"I suppose it doesn't matter how long you've been a Turk," she said miserably. "No matter I hard they try, they'll never get us to shred our humanity. Disregard it at times. But never forget it."

"Do you know it was supposed to be me? I was supposed to set the bomb and bring all this down. Rude and Reno were the ones who were supposed to grab the Ancient."

Elena blinked. She didn't know that. She'd just always assumed Reno had been chosen for the job. But then, they never talked about it. It was almost as if it had never happened as far as Shin-Ra was concerned. And she remembered, the first time she'd brought it up, Reno and Rude hissed at her so vehemently, she was sure she'd done something wrong.

"So, what happened? Why'd Reno do it?"

"In the end, it came down to who'd regret it the least. At the time, it was unquestionable. Reno was the most efficient. He didn't care who he killed. He just did his job. Didn't ask questions. And for a while, we all thought it was pride."

"I suppose you're going to tell me it wasn't?" she ventured.

"Astute you are," he smiled slightly. "Yes, it wasn't. Loyal as he was to Shin-Ra, his pride as a Turk would never have driven him to kill so many innocents. So, you may be wondering what it was if not pride. I'm sure it's a feeling you can identify with well. Numbing. Unfeeling. Incapable of feeling. That's what Reno was. He was so lost in himself, fallen into a hole. I'm surprised he could function. And to this day he tells me he doesn't even remember where he had been or what he'd been doing half the time."

"What are you getting at?" Elena asked.

"Drugs, Elena. Reno was into them. He makes your addiction look like a walk in the park. And he always insisted that he needed them. It took the edge off the job. Made the killing less real. Made it easier to sleep at night, to not think about or see the faces of the people that he'd murdered. See, he was good at killing. He'd always been. But, he'd never before killed a child. The first time he had to, it screwed him up. Ate at his soul. He hardly slept, hardly ate. Said that drugs were the only thing that set him right."

Elena looked down at her feet and shook her head. She'd just joined the Turks around then. If Reno had been addicted to drugs, how was it that she didn't know? Tseng must have read her mind, because he was nodding.

"When you became a Turk, Elena, it was because Reno was incapacitated. You remember how he was in the hospital for months before you ever saw him? And you assumed it was because of the jump he took from the pillar, or the battle that he had with Cloud and his friends. No. Well…it started out that way. Just treating his injuries."

"And then you found out?"

"Yes. And, generally speaking, I'm supposed to maintain a certain level of professionalism where my employees are concerned. I'm not supposed to get attached. Just a basic relationship. The kind where you say 'hello' to each other, but never outside the workplace."

"So, I guess you're screwing that up now?"

"It's a little late in my career to be worried about things as trivial as that," he said. "Besides, after what happened with Reno, I swore that I'd never treat any Turk with indifference."

"So, what happened after you found out?" she questioned.

"Well, the fact of the matter is, the little punk had grown on me. He'd been a Turk since before he was sixteen. That was before I was the leader. We'd been on missions together, watched each other's backs. He once took a bullet for me. Now, how could I treat him with indifference after he did something like that? He'd saved my life. And, I had to save his."

"So, what did you do?"

"We kept him in the hospital for a while. There, the doctors monitored him. Kept him substance free. Used medicine that wasn't habit forming for the pain. That wasn't the hard part. It was when he was released. It was at the time we were searching for Sephiroth and Avalanche. Rufus Shinra couldn't care less if Reno was dying inside. As long as he could do the job and protect his presidency, nothing mattered."

"So, Reno came back to work?"

"It really was what was best for him. Rude kept an eye on him, and when he didn't, I did. Of course, we let him continue drinking. He always had an uncanny way of controlling his alcoholism. But, we never let him get near any sort of drug except for cigarettes."

"Is that why he was chain smoking when I first met him?" she asked.

"Yes. It'd also explain the bad attitude he had. You hated him at first. It wasn't until a few years after that you two became friends. But, he had every reason to be belligerent. The drugs were working their way out of his system. He was going through withdrawals. Snapping at everybody. Facing reality. We really thought that he was going to lose his mind. Rude and I were so worried."

"So…when did he become the way he is now?"

"It was right before I went to the Temple of the Ancients. We'd sat down together. Rude, Reno, and I. And we forced him to face reality. To remember the little girl that he'd killed. To bear in mind that he was only doing what he was told to do. Gods, I'll never forget that night. He'd lost it. There wasn't a thing in the room he didn't break or shoot. But in the end, he couldn't deny what he had done, and he finally realized that the only way he'd ever be able to move on was to face it head on."

"That's a very good story," Elena said. "But what's that have to do with me. Sure, we have addiction in common, but I never killed a little girl. I don't have anything to hide or forget. There is nothing for me to face."

"Sure there is," he said calmly. "The fact that you are only human. The fact that you might not always succeed, and you aren't the best Turk. That's your demon, Elena. That, and your lack of self confidence."

"Whoop-dee-damn-doo," she snapped. "You've solved everything, Tseng. I suddenly have a knew reason to live. Thank you so much for curing me of this state of despair I've found myself in."

"No reason to get like that, Elena. I don't mean to sound like I'm preaching to you. In fact, the story really did have little to do with your situation. Just…my way of explaining the reason why Reno and Rude distanced themselves from you. Can you possibly imagine how hard it is for Reno to see somebody go through this after he'd just been through it himself? It's like look in a mirror of the past. And now, he may be wondering if this is how he acted, if this is what he said or sounded like. And then Rude. He had to go through his best friend's addiction. He sat with him through the worst times. And it was so difficult for him. And now, here you are, a friend, about to put him through the same aggravation."

"I'm sorry I'm such an inconvenience to everybody. Maybe it will be better if you just let me leave."

"Elena, do yourself a favor and stop bathing in self-pity. It's not doing you any good and it's only burying you deeper in that sorry hole of depression that you say you have found yourself in. There is no reason for you to be depressed."

"Isn't there?" she screamed. "My best friends have ditched me, I gave my virginity away to some prick, I nearly blew anther mission, I've pissed Rufus Shinra off again, and I'll be lucky if Reno or Rude ever talk to me again. And it's all my fault. I did this all to myself. That's the reality of my matter. And I face it everyday. But do you think it makes me feel any better about myself?"

Tseng was about to answer her, but then he cocked an eyebrow and smirked. "You were still a virgin?"

"Tseng!"

"I won't tell anybody," he chuckled. "It's just…I guess I owe Reno some money."

"What?" she shouted. "You put bets on my innocence? That's just great. Well, there you have it. In a nutshell, that's how we respect each other. Now do you see why I want to leave?"

"No, Elena. You want to leave so you can have another reason to feel sorry for yourself. So you can lie in your apartment wondering about the shoulda-coulda-woulda's. And then sit and wonder what happened to your happier times. And face it, your happiest times were when you were a Turk. And I'm not about to let you give this up. Not when it could be the only thing that can save you."

"I don't need saving," she sneered.

"Ultimately, Elena, your opinion doesn't matter. It's what I think that does. I think you need the Turks just as much as the Turks need you. Being a Turk in itself is an addiction. One so potent, it's the only one you'll be able to bear. It gets in your blood, your heart, your head. How can you take anything else with something this powerful going through your system already?"

Elena frowned and felt tears forming in her eyes. She refused to look up at Tseng. She felt so weak. So frail. And she knew the drugs did it to her. Knew that if she didn't stop, she'd kill herself. But, she was so dependant on them. Didn't want to let them go.

"It's so hard for me to still be a Turk. I can't do it, Tseng."

"Is it the missions?"

"No. I can handle the missions. They've never been a problem for me. I ordered Justus to kill those men on my last mission without even a second thought. If anything, the missions are the easiest part. It's my co-workers, sir. As it stands, you are the only one who I'm still in good standing with."

"We already discussed this, Elena. I'll start the process of finding you a new partner right away."

"I don't want a new partner," she argued.

"You still want Justus?" he asked, confused now.

"No. Tseng…"

He nodded after a few seconds, comprehension finally seeping in. He looked at her pensively for a moment before closing his eyes. "It's not a good idea, falling in love with a guy like him."

"I know…" she said. "I've been telling myself that since the first time we kissed."


	13. Going Down

**Tengoko: No, this is not another elevator story. Title is deceiving isn't it? Sorry that it took a while to get up. Finally moved into my dorms, and now that my computer's back online, I'm able to update. Well, same old schpiel. Reviews are very much loved, appreciated, and needed at this point. I am very thankful to all of you who have reviewed. It really does help the writer's block when I go back and read them. Well, enough talking. I'll shut up and let you read the story.  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 13: Going Down**

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Oh Gods! There was nothing now to take away the pain. She wanted it to stop. Wanted so badly to end it. It felt as though she were being torn from the outside in. Her whole body was shaking. She was freezing, but she was drenched in sweat head to toe. She'd made so many cuts. There was so much blood. Why had she done it? She didn't even remember doing it.

But, it seemed clear. Cutting was almost like releasing the air from a balloon, removing the tension. But, now, there was nothing to stop the stinging. She hadn't cut herself very deep. Nothing life threatening or anything that would scar. They'd been made with her fingernails, as if she'd just literally thought of tearing herself apart with her bare hands.

"Make it stop," she said, rocking back and forth. "Oh Gods, please make it stop."

She was pale. Her eyes were distant. She just didn't look like Elena at all. But then, she hadn't been acting like Elena lately either. In her trembling hands she held her cell phone, but she kept talking herself out of calling for help. Who could she call anyway? Tseng? No…he was probably sleeping now, or else at the office working. And really, she had nobody else. She would die before calling Justus, and Rude and Reno were definitely not among her options.

But suddenly, the cell phone rang, and she jumped, not expecting it. Staring at the caller ID, Tseng's name came into focus. She didn't answer it right away. What could he possibly want at four o'clock in the morning? Probably calling to check up on her.

"Hello?" she asked, her voice sounding alien to her.

"Elena!" he seemingly shouted. "Get out of your apartment right now!"

"What?"

"Havre's escaped. According to the guard, he was forced into revealing your whereabouts. Elena, he's coming after you. You have to get out of there, right now!"

She was in no condition to go anywhere. Even she knew as much. She could barely will herself to respond to him. The desire to just die was too compelling. Closing her eyes indefinitely sounded so good to her.

"Elena!" he shouted again, her silence too telling. "I'm begging you, not as your boss, but as a friend. Get out of there."

Shouts were then heard outside her door. A banging and a scream followed. He was here. "Too late," she said almost child-like. "Bye, Tseng."

"Elena don't hang up! Elena, don't you-"

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The steady drone of the dial tone. That's all that filled his ear now. But, not before he heard the door crash on the other end. He was there. He'd found her. And now, it might be too late. He had already been in his car, on his way to rescue her himself. He'd failed.

Cursing, her ended the call and began calling another number. At first, it seemed as though nobody was going to answer, but on the fifth ring, a deep voice snapped, "What the hell do you want? This'd better be a damn emergency this early in the morning!"

"It's Tseng, Rude."

Silence, and then. "…oh. Sorry about that."

"Rude, I need you to head to Elena's house. You're much closer than I am."

"Why?"

"She's in trouble," he said vaguely, not even thinking about elaborating for the newly wakened Turk.

"I guessed that much, Tseng, but what kind of trouble? Serious trouble or her usual drama?"

"Do you think I'd be calling you if it was only that, Rude! I know your sentiments on the girl, and I wouldn't have you go over if it were for that. You know what, I don't have time to argue about this with you. Get your ass over to her fucking apartment now! That's an order!"

"Fine," he grunted. "Tseng, you do know that Reno is probably at Don's Bar. That's just two blocks away from her place. He can be there in three minutes if he has his car. And, just so I know what to expect when I get there…"

"You'll need your gun," Tseng cut in, letting him know the seriousness of the matter. "With lots of bullets."

"Shit! What's she done now?" And then he hung up. Tseng didn't waste any time calling Reno now. It went straight to his voice mail, meaning he was either passed out drunk, asleep, turned his phone off to pay more attention to a female guest, or hit ignore.

But, a second later, Tseng's phone rang. "Sorry about that," was Reno's apology. "Accidentally hit the wrong button. Still trying to get used to this fucking phone. So…what's up?"

"Where are you?"

"Leaving the bar," he said while honking his horn. "Learn to fucking drive you damn crack whore!" Then to Tseng. "Why?"

"Turn around. I need you to go to Elena's. She needs help."

"What?"

"Havre escaped, he's looking for-"

"I'm on my way," was all he said before hanging up.

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"I should have killed you when I had the chance," Havre said, his voice bellowing. His black eyes were so full of hate, but Elena was too delirious to notice. She knew she was in trouble, knew that he was an enemy, but her mind was still racing to put everything else together. "But, it appears that if I wait, time will take you instead. Wouldn't that be a shame. You'd have spilt all the blood of my men, and I wouldn't have had any of yours. That's not fair."

"Havre?" she whispered hoarsely.

"You are suffering, Turk. It almost makes me want to leave you for dead. But, I have a feeling this won't kill you. I need to make sure that you pay for what you've done to my men. And you will. By the gods, I'll make sure you do."

She smiled her first smile in hours and looked at him square in the eye. "I'm not sorry," she said quietly. "If I had the chance to do it all over again, the only difference would be…I'd have used a bigger bomb. Then maybe I'd have killed you the first time."

That did it. Evoked his wrath. And suddenly, his curved blade was drawn and he held it right below her chin. She didn't flinch. Just stared at him emptily. "You think I am afraid of death, Havre? You think the feel of your cold steel on my skin would incite some kind of fear? I'm not going to beg you for my life. Quite the contrary. In fact, you'd do me a great favor if you just killed me now."

He didn't say anything to that. In fact, he looked rather frustrated. He wanted to kill her so badly, but on the other hand, it did look like it would bring her some release, and that was the last thing he wanted to do.

Grunting, he bent over her and kicked her side, eliciting a loud cry from the smallest Turk. He had to have broken a rib, as powerful as his kick was. But, she didn't care about that. What was a rib anyway? It'd heal in time, and it's not as if anything could be done about it. But then, he kicked her again, in the exact same spot, making her cry out again.

"Havre, you damned bastard! Just kill me and be done with it!"

"I'll be doing no such thing," he said cruelly. "Not when you want to die so much." And with that, he grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her up. She was wobbly on her legs at first, and the only reason she hadn't fallen was because he was holding her up, albeit in a very painful way. "Nine stories up," he said thoughtfully.

"What?" she asked, unaware of the tears in her eyes.

"Going down?" He pulled his pistol from his belt and shot at the window. Then he proceeded to drag Elena towards it. "If you want death so badly, Blondie, why are you struggling now?"

And Gods, she was. Kicking, screaming, trying to tug herself out of his strong grip. But even she knew that it was pointless. He was too strong, and she was at her very worst. So, this was how she was going to die. Plummeting out of a nine-story apartment room. So much for going out in flame and glory.

They were close now. She could feel the wind and the slight dampness of the midnight drizzle. Gods, it was cold. What did it matter. Soon, she'd know nothing of the kind. Not cold, not warmth. Not happiness or despair. Not hate…and not love. …love.

"Reno," she cried.

"Nobody can save you, Blondie. This is it. Are you ready to die? It doesn't matter anyway. My men weren't ready to die, and you didn't mind killing them. So…I think I'll take great pleasure out of watching this."

Elena's eyes widened as he lifted her from the ground and grabbed her by the back of the collar. With a scream, she was hoisted outside of the window, and the only thing keeping her from falling was his hand, which had yet to let go of her.

"Please, don't do this," she pleaded. This was not how she wanted to die. Not without saying good-bye to Reno. Saying she was sorry to him.

She was just about to give up all hope, when the sweetest voice she could ever think to hear said, "Havre, if you even think about dropping her, I'll fill you with every bullet that I have on me."

Elena turned her head, and there he was. He wasn't looking at her right now. His blue eyes were glaring at Havre, filled with more hate than Havre's had been. His gun was pointing right at his head, and it was clear that Havre knew that this Turk wouldn't miss.

"You are probably going to kill me anyway."

"Bring her back in," he ordered.

"If I am to die," he continued, as though he hadn't heard him, "then it will be a death of my choosing."

And then he let go. "ELENA!" Reno shouted. It had been a good thing she turned. She was able to grab the window ledge at the last possible second, but it was damp and her fingers were fast slipping. And then she heard gunfire. They must be shooting at each other. And now she was really scared. What if Havre killed Reno? It would be all her fault, and she wasn't sure she could live with that.

The gunshots were still being fired, and Elena was now holding on by her fingertips. "Gods," she gasped, and then there was nothing. Nothing to hold on to. She began to fall. Closing her eyes, all she could do was wait. At least, until the jerking feeling had her opening them again, and she stared up to see that Reno had caught her by the wrist.

Before anything could be said, he lifted her back up and pulled her into the building. Next thing she knew, she was in his arms, being held so tight that she could barely breath.

"Is she alright?" came a new voice, though a very familiar one.

"Rude?" she asked.

"I'm here, Laney," he said, kneeling beside her and putting hand on her head.

"What happened to Havre?" Reno asked, almost breathlessly.

Rude hesitated before saying, "he got away." His hand fell to her back as he asked, "Laney, why didn't you fight back?"

"I…couldn't," she said. Then her eyes closed. Reno looked at Rude for a second before standing up and picking her up into his arms. They could tell by looking that she was in bad shape. She needed help. She needed their help. And now…they knew they had no choice but to give it to her.


	14. Point

**Tengoko: No. I'm not dead. Sorry for taking longer than ever. I've just been so busy. Well, here's the next chapter, obviously, and I really hope you enjoy it. You know the usual. Please Read and Review. Thanks so much. Well, enjoy!  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 14: Point  
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"How long has she been unconscious?" Tseng asked, the moment the door opened for him. He wasted no time with hellos or any introduction. Just bypassed Rude and headed straight for the couch where Elena lay. Reno was kneeling beside her, putting a cold compress on her forehead.

"Not too long. She keeps coming to, but then she'll pass out again." Rude closed the door and stood next to his boss. "She's lucky though. Had Reno not shown up when he did, she'd be smeared all over the street."

"Thanks for the imagery," Reno muttered, giving Rude a very dark look. "Actually, if Rude hadn't shown up to handle Havre, I never would have been able to get to her in time." He visibly shuddered at the thought. "But, she's going to be okay. I think she's just exhausted and shocked by everything that had happened to her."

Tseng nodded and looked down at his shoes. "Thank gods," he whispered. "Well, now we have a new problem. Havre is free. I reported the problem to Rufus, and it goes without saying…"

"He's upset," Rude finished. "There's nothing we can do about that right now. Our priority is Elena."

"Of course," Tseng said, nodding his head. "I wouldn't have asked either of you to chase after him now. Actually, I was going to assign the task of bringing him in to Justus. After all, he's so confident in his abilities lately," he said with disdain. "Give him a chance to work on his own."

A soft moan brought silence to the room. They all turned their heads towards Elena, who was moving around now. Her head turned on the pillow and Reno leaned over her and put his hand on her cheek trying to soothe her. It seemed to work. Her face, once troubled in appearance seemed to relax. And then, her eyes opened.

She mouthed his name. It's possible that she said it, but her voice was so low that nobody heard it. Still, he knew what she'd said and he moved closer in response, his eyes full of more tenderness than any of them had ever seen him convey. "Laney," he began quietly.

"How're you feeling?" Rude asked.

"Where am I?" she asked. A legitimate question as she'd never been to Reno's apartment before. "What happened?" she started sitting up, but Reno put a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back down. "Reno?"

"Take it easy, Laney. We're here."

Yes. They were there. And she could hardly believe it. He'd saved her life…yet again. And this time, he shouldn't have. He had every reason to let her fall. Every reason to let Havre do whatever he pleased. And yet he'd come for her. They'd both come. And that in itself brought the tears.

"Why did you save me?" she asked.

"Would you have preferred for me to let you fall?" Reno asked, wiping her tears.

"You should have let me fall."

"You shouldn't talk like that," Rude said, coming closer. "Pity doesn't become you."

"It's not pity," she cried. "But, after everything I've done to both of you…" And then the shooting headache. Elena sprung forward, clutching her head, and flew right into Reno's arms. "Why does it hurt so much?"

Reno couldn't answer. It wasn't as if he didn't have an answer for her. In fact, he did. But, there was a tightening in his throat. As he felt her tremble in his arms, something unexplainable took hold of him, and all he could do was hold her.

"Come on, Laney," Rude said, taking her from Reno, who was reluctant at first to let her go. "Let's get you cleaned up now. It'll make you feel much better, trust me." At that, he lifted her from the couch and carried her into the bathroom. Reno watched until the door closed, and then he looked away and tried to ignore the hard stare his boss was throwing him just now.

"You must know what I'm thinking," Tseng said, putting his hands behind his back.

"Yes. And I really wish that you wouldn't think it," he snapped, rolling his eyes and lying back on the couch. "You're making something out of nothing, and there really is nothing, Tseng. Believe me."

Tseng stepped closer and sighed. "Reno…I told her."

There was no need to clarify. Reno knew exactly what he was talking about. He raised his head a fraction to glare at him before saying slowly, "why would you do that?"

"I thought it might help her. It can't be easy for her to go through what she's been going through. I hate to say it, but she's not as strong as you were. She needs all the help she can get."

"You should have asked me if it was okay to tell her," Reno hissed, pulling himself up. "I didn't want her to know."

"Why not?"

"Why the hell do you think?" Reno shot at him. "It's not exactly a part of my past that I look at with fondness."

"You can't just erase what happened, Reno. There's no denying what you went through, and I don't think you should be ashamed of any of it. You overcame something that kills most people. You are a better man because of it. There's no reason you should hide anything about that."

"A better man?" Reno asked. "You really think I've become a better man since then?"

"Haven't you?" Tseng's lifted his eyebrow and smirked. "I think you have."

"I'm not," he insisted. "A better man? Five years since I kicked the addiction and I've yet to do something respectable with my life. I kill for a living, Tseng. And then, when I'm through with that, I whore myself through the streets of Midgar. You think that makes me a good man?"

"I said you were a good man, Reno. Not a priest. We all have our shortcomings. Even I admit to having vices that I'm not proud of. But hey, we make our own beds, don't we? And, it could be a lot worse, Reno. A hell of a lot worse." Reno didn't respond to that. "By the way…I believe I owe you some money."

That caught him off guard. "What the hell for?" he demanded as he stared at the gil that was just handed to him.

"A bet we made a long time ago. No need to get into the details, but, as I'm a man of my word, I've got to honor the bet."

"Tseng, I've only made two bets with you in my entire life. And since Rufus wasn't the one who assassinated the president that means…" Reno paled. "How did you find out?" he asked solemnly.

"She told me," he shrugged. "Gods, Reno, your memory is a lot better than I could have guessed. Had I known you wouldn't just take the money with no questions, I wouldn't have brought it up."

"I don't want your money," Reno said, handing it back to him. "Not for this. It's not…"

"Right?" Tseng asked, taking it back from him. "I suppose you've proven my point," Tseng smiled. "About being a better man. Five years ago, you would have taken the money and then gloated about it to Elena, teasing her persistently. You really should give yourself more credit."

"I've known you for a long time, Tseng. That wasn't the only thing you were trying to prove. What are you really trying to uncover? You knew I'd remember the bet. So don't give me the whole 'honest mistake' crap."

Tseng sighed and then chuckled. "We have been working together too long, haven't we?"

"Get to the point, Tseng."

He stopped smiling at that point and with a sober face, said, "she could have died tonight, you know? Havre certainly wouldn't have thought twice about killing her. And he means to finish the job. He expressly asked for her, meaning he blames her for everything that he's lost. We haven't seen the last of him. And, until he's caught, she'll continue to be in danger. We can't leave her alone."

"We shouldn't have left her alone to begin with," Reno said sadly. "Don't worry, Tseng. Havre won't ever lay a hand on her again. Rude and I will see to it personally."

"But is that enough?" He asked. "If you both were capable of handling Havre, why isn't he back in custody? We all know that he's more than able to overcome all of us."

"That's why we have guns," Reno said, patting his own. "To hell with what Rufus Shinra wants with him. If he ever comes near her again, I'll kill him. And Rude won't hesitate to do the same."

"First things first. We've got to save Elena from herself. That won't be so easy."

"She's a strong girl," Reno said. "She'll get through this."

"You intend on seeing to that as well?" he asked. "Finally decided to forgive her, have you?"

"Just didn't see any point in being angry with her anymore. Besides, she doesn't need tough love right now. Rude and I were trying to teach her a lesson. She's not ready for that yet."

"Will she ever be ready for the lesson you wanted to teach her?" Tseng looked up at the ceiling and closed his eyes. "She's a strong girl. But, she depends so much on what other people think about her. If she thinks for a moment that somebody's upset with her, she goes to the extremes to make it right. Why do you think she took drugs in the first place?"

Reno thought about that for a few seconds. Then the bathroom door opened. Elena was the first one out, walking unsteadily. Rude was behind her, helping her stay up, leading her back to the couch. Reno stood up so she could lay back down, but Elena didn't lay down. Instead, she put her arms around him and all but collapsed against him.

"Thank you, Reno," she whispered. "For saving my life…again. I don't know what I'd do without you." She smiled up at him before kissing him on the cheek. "I hope I never have to find out."

"You won't," he assured her. He kissed her on her forehead before picking her up in his arms. "Relax, Laney. Everything's going to be okay now. Know that you're safe here."

"With you," she added with a sigh.

"Yes. With me."

"I'm tired," she said, closing her eyes.

"I know." Reno looked down at her tenderly before carrying her to his bedroom.

Rude and Tseng stared after them and watched as they disappeared into the hallway. Once they were out of sight, Rude walked over to Reno's bar and poured a glass of hard liquor. He knew his friend was going to need it when he returned. And sure enough, a few minutes later, Reno came back and went straight for the glass that Rude was holding.

"She's going to be okay," Rude told him.

"I know. I just don't think I'll be until I'm sure that she is." He lifted the glass to his lips and took a hard swallow. Turning around, he meant to sit down but was instead greeted by the self-satisfied grin of Tseng's. "What the hell are you smiling about?"

"I believe, Reno, that you've just proven my other point."


	15. Promised

**Tengoko: Sorry, again for taking so long. I had another case of writer's block, and then when I finally got over that, it took me a while to get this chapter just right. I hope you all enjoy it. I know I've kept some of you waiting longer than you would've liked. I'll try to be more expedient. Please review. Reviews really are the best cure for writer's block, and I really can't tell you how much I appreciate them.  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 15: Promised  
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"Where's Laney?" Justus asked, sitting down at the round table. The question resulted in a powerful glare from Rude and a censuring expression from Tseng. He seemed not to notice. Only that his question had yet to be answered. "Was she fired or something? She hasn't been in to work since…last week. What's going on?"

Tseng frowned. "I can assure you, Justus, that Elena will be returning to work very soon. In the meantime, I do advise you to stay focused on the task at hand." Justus nodded and looked down at the manila folder which had just been thrown in front of him. Rude was already reading his briefing, and suddenly, he stood up and threw it back down on the table.

"You can't honestly expect me to work with him?"

"What?" Justus asked, tearing the folder open to read what was inside. Sure enough, he was to partner with Rude. "Who's brilliant idea was this?"

"Mine," Tseng said angrily. "And you will both do as I tell you to do. I will not be coerced. At work, I am your boss…not your friend. You will do as I say."

"But given previous situations, sir, I don't see how this partnering is going to be very productive."

Tseng sighed. "Rude, I have no other choice. With Elena on sick leave and Reno requesting the week off, I am left with you two."

"Elena's sick?" Justus asked, rising from his chair.

"Where the hell have you been, dolt?" Rude snapped, hating him more each time he looked at him.

"I would have thought she'd be over it by now," he shrugged. "Unless this has something to do with Havre. Are you hiding her from him or something? Because if you are, and Reno's the one protecting her, then you might as well arrange for the funeral now."

Rude balled his hands into a fist and started making his way around the table. Tseng lunged forward and grabbed him by the back of his coat to stop him. But, then to Justus' surprise, Tseng turned on him. "Didn't I warn you to drop it?" His voice was shaky, almost as though he were trying to force himself from yelling. "And, if Elena's protection were the case here, I'd trust nobody but Reno with the job. Furthermore, if I ever hear you talking about your superior in such a manner, I will be forced to suspend you…without pay. I do not tolerate disrespect here. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," Justus said quietly.

"Good. Now, if I may continue…" He narrowed his eyes on Rude who grunted before sitting back down. "Thank you. Now, as I was saying. Several eye witness reports have stated that they've seen Havre in the slums of Sector Six. As it's not a very big area, I figured that you two could get to the bottom of this with little difficulty."

"That could very well be true…unless," Rude trailed off, eyeing Tseng as though waiting for permission to go on. Tseng looked annoyed at having been interrupted again, but looked at Rude, waiting for him to finish. "He could very well have made the train graveyard his hideout. It'd make more sense to me than him being in Sector Six."

"How typical," Justus groaned. "Why must you make the mission any harder than it has to be?"

"Because it is our job to eliminate any shadow of doubt. If there is a possibility that he's still hiding out in Midgar, it is our duty to find him. Hell, Justus, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you didn't want to find him."

"It's more the fact that I don't want to work with you any longer than I have to."

Rude smiled. "Oh, I am almost positive that I'm hating this exponentially more than you are." He then turned back to look at Tseng who now was rubbing his temples. "That's why you should be able to appreciate how much I want to find this guy. I'm willing to lengthen the duration of this mission to find him."

He really was. There was nothing that could hinder his desire to help Elena. She was the closest thing to a little sister that he had, and too many times he'd stood by when she needed him the most. Well, he wasn't going to let that happen anymore. He was going to protect her, no matter what the cost.

Tseng looked down at his papers and then nodded. "Rude's right. We can't just assume that Sector Six is the only place he could be. Havre's smart. He'll keep moving, and he'll be damned if he gets caught before exacting his revenge. So, we've got to be one step ahead of him."

He leaned over and began marking on the papers before looking up at the two of them. "Rude, I am leaving this in your hands. You make the call. Justus, you are to follow his orders as though I were the one giving them. And please, for my benefit and for your own, do try to play nicely."

"Yes sir," they said in unison.

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Reno wasn't the type of man to stop and take in the scenery or beauty of nature. He definitely wasn't the type to sit on the roof of his building to watch the sunrise and sit to think about things that have already transpired. But, there was a first time for everything, and if he ever needed a time to clear his head, now was it.

Three days had passed since he'd brought Elena back to his apartment with him. Last night was the first night she wasn't in pain. So she slept. Was still sleeping. And Reno was so grateful that the worst was over. His friend…yes his friend…would be all right. She would no longer have to suffer the effects of what the drugs did to her body.

He took a long drag on his cigarette and then went back to thinking. There was no missing the point that Tseng had been trying to prove to him. Even Rude had understood and he hadn't even been there the whole time. At first, it was easy enough to put off. With Elena needing help, it was easy to keep his thoughts off of what was implied. But now that everything had passed, he had to face it.

Did he love Elena? Well, of course. He'd loved her for a long time. But, he always thought he loved her just as Rude loved her. She was family. They all shared the bond of being a Turk, of only having each other to rely on. So, of course he loved her. But did he really love her?

That was a bit more complex. Reno had sworn long ago that he would never fall in love. It was just too inconvenient for him, and it would be unfair to the unlucky woman. His first love would always be his job. How could he ask anybody to take a backseat to it? But Elena….she loved the job too. She wouldn't be in the backseat. She'd be right up there with him, racing into the heart of a mission with as much enthusiasm as him.

He did enjoy kissing her. The memory of it made him smile. He'd kissed many, many women before Elena. But none of them had made him feel so lost in the kiss. It was hard to describe the effect her kisses had. It was as if is heart wanted to speed up and stop all at once. As if he were melting, but he'd be shaking at the same time. And she was so stimulating. Every time he'd kissed her, he'd always yearn to kiss her more, and more. Kissing her, ruined other women for Reno. So yes, he'd kissed many, many women before Elena…but he'd kissed none after.

But he hadn't been her last kiss. Now, in the past, Reno's philosophy about women were, there were none worth fighting over. Not when another willing candidate to share his bed could be found elsewhere. So usually, when a man decided to compete with him for the affections of some gem that'd caught his eye, he'd let his eye wander to find a better gem. But when Justus began focusing his attention on Elena, there was no describing the rage and jealousy he felt.

"…Reno?"

Reno snapped out of his thoughts and turned to see Elena. She was dressed in one of his t-shirts, so long that it came down to her mid-thighs. Which was good because she hadn't put any shorts on. She was wearing a robe, but it wasn't tied shut. In fact, it looked as if she'd just woken up and decided to find out where Reno had gone.

"Is everything all right?" he asked, standing up.

"Yes. I was just wondering where you went," she said, approaching him and then taking a seat in the chair next to the one he'd been in. "Wow," she breathed. "I can't remember the last time I've seen the sun rise."

Reno sat down and threw his cigarette to the ground, stepping on it with the tip of his shoe. "I've seen a lot of the, but I've never really looked at any."

"That's a shame," she said, her eyes still fixed on the golden hues. "There's so much beauty in this world, and if you don't take the time to look, you'll miss it all. Come to think of it though, I haven't really looked either since I've become a Turk."

"Elena…there is something I've been wondering…"

"Reno…let me go first…there's something I have to say to you." She looked down at her feet, and then back up at him, her eyes full of tears. "Thank you!" she cried. "You don't realize how much you've done for me. You had every right to leave me for dead, to let Havre kill me. But you saved me. In more ways than one. And I'll never be able to thank you enough for that, Reno."

"That's what Turks do, Laney. We look after each other."

Elena stared at him blankly for a moment and then nodded slowly. "Yes, I suppose that makes sense. That's why you all came. I'm half surprised Rude showed up though. As pissed off as I made him."

"You know Rude will always be there for you," Reno said, lighting another cigarette. "No matter how fucking pissed off he is."

Elena looked down again and shook her head. "To be perfectly honest…I'm more than half surprised that you came too. I would have thought that the only Turks intent on saving me would be Tseng and…"

"Don't say his name in front of me," he gritted out, his face suddenly turning dark. "Damn, Laney, you always know just what to say to make a perfectly peaceful situation turn to hell." Reno stood up and began walking towards the stairway, but Elena quickly jumped up to stop him. "Elena, I'm not in the mood to talk anymore. Hell, I don't even think I was in the mood before now. Just get out of my way."

She didn't argue. She moved aside to let him continue towards his desired destination, but for some reason, he didn't move. She looked up at him and then gasped. It was in the way that he was looking at her. She'd never seen him look more angry, distressed, confused. Instinctively, she took a step backward, but suddenly, his hands shot out towards her and pulled her against his body as his mouth came crushing against hers.

There was no stopping him. His tongue invaded her mouth, not caring if he had her permission or not. It was such a powerful kiss, so powerful that Elena still was wide-eyed. It wasn't until she started enjoying the kiss that he tore his lips away from hers and stared at her with murder in his eyes. She didn't understand. How could he kiss her so passionately, but still look at her as though he'd love nothing more than to wring her neck?

"I have a question," he muttered. His grip around her increased painfully. "Did he ever kiss you like I kissed you?" Elena's jaw dropped open. She tried to push away from him, but he was determined to be answered. "Did he? Did he touch you like I touched you?" At that, he lifted one of his hands to her face to stroke her cheek gently.

"No," she answered, her eyes spilling over with tears. "He never kissed me or touched me like you did. But there was one thing he did do." She ripped herself out of his hold and backed away from him.

"What was that?" he asked, or shouted rather.

"He promised me more than kisses. Promised me more than touches. He told me he'd treat me right. Whether he meant it or not is moot. He said what I wanted to hear."

"So I didn't lie to you like he did? You've got be kidding me, Elena. You mean to tell me that any pretty boy who compliments you and promises you the world will get into your pants? And you said my sex-life was questionable."

Elena got angry now. "Your sex-life is questionable. And, how dare you question me and my standards when I've only been with one man in my entire life. How many women have you been with? Huh? So what if I fell for the first man who promised me the stars and the moon? At least I have standards. It takes more than a nice body and a bottle of booze to put me in the mood."

Reno looked livid now. But Elena wasn't cowering. He'd pushed all her wrong buttons, and she may be in his debt, but she still had her pride to consider, and she'd be damned if she let anybody step all over it. "Oh, thanks for reminding me, Elena. I can have any prime piece in Midgar I want. Why I get myself stuck on a plain, mousey looking-"

"Stop," she demanded. "That was another thing he did. He told me I was beautiful. You never did that. And now, here you are telling me that your Midgar sluts are much prettier than I am. Damn Reno, how I ever could have fallen for you…"

"What?"

"Oh it doesn't matter anymore," she cried. "You've cured me of my silly little infatuation with you. That's all it was, wasn't it? Lust. Well, that's passed."

"…Laney," Reno whispered, stepping closer to her.

"I should have learned after Tseng. Co-workers are off limits. But you know, Reno. I really thought that you and I could have really had something. I couldn't understand why you didn't. But now I do. Because I'm not a little street urchin. You can't just sleep with me and then shake me off. And you didn't want any complications or strings attached."

"I don't want to hurt you, Laney," he said sincerely. He paused. He wanted so badly to tell her what he felt about her. But not even he was sure. How could he tell her what he didn't know?

"Well, mission unaccomplished," she yelled, turning on her heel and storming towards the stairway. But before she left, she turned back and said, "Thank you for taking care of me. But I do believe I've overstayed my welcome."

Reno felt a surge of panic at those words. He walked towards her. "Elena, you can't go back by yourself. Havre is after you, and you are no match for him."

"Don't worry about me. I'm sure that Justus wouldn't mind taking me in."

She might as well have taken out her gun and shot him in the heart. That's what it felt like. More than once, he thought about going after her. Gods, why did he have to care so much? No woman had ever made him feel so…so…so angry, so irritated, hurt, deliriously happy, right, passionate.

"I love you," he whispered. There. He'd finally admitted it to himself. And part of him felt relieved. Happy even. But there was another part. The part that knew he'd never have the courage to tell her. The part that knew that she really would be better off with a guy like Justus who could promise her everything under the sun. And that part felt utterly miserable.


	16. Trust in Justus

**Tengoko: Yes, I know this chapter is a little shorter than the others. But, it probably is the most earth-shattering. That is all I'm going to say about it except, don't kill me. Don't worry, I'll update the next chapter quickly so I won't leave you in suspense for too long. Well, with that foreshadowing, I'm sure you're ready to get to the story. Please, enjoy. And review. That'd be very helpful.  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 16: Trust in Justus  
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Rude couldn't help but feel like something was right. It was an instinct, a gut feeling, and it'd usually never failed him. But this time, he had no idea why he felt this way. Just knew that something bad was going to happen. It unnerved him, but he didn't let it show. Especially since he was still on the mission with Justus, and he couldn't show any weaknesses right now.

"I got one lead," Justus said, walking towards him. "One lady said that they saw somebody who fits his description hiding out in that one church."

Rude looked down at his gloved hands and nodded. He knew that church well. He'd never been inside, the only Turk who had was Reno. But, it was quite infamous now. It was the place that cured geo-stigma. But more importantly, at least to those who knew, it was where the flower-girl, the Ancient, had frequented. Rude had a strong feeling that the healing powers of the water would never have been possible had it not been for her presence.

"He had to hide out in a church," he muttered, shaking his head and then adjusting his shades. "Oh well. If he wants to die there…"

"Rufus Shinra doesn't want him dead," Justus said.

Rude started walking, his disposition changing greatly. "This isn't business," he said in a low voice. "This is personal."

"You have your orders," he shouted, following after him. "He is not to be killed."

"And you have your orders, rookie! You are to listen to whatever I say as though Tseng were saying it. Were those not his words?" He didn't bother waiting for a response. The church wasn't too far away, and if Havre was there, he had to act on it now.

Justus didn't say another word. At least not until they approached the memorial in front of the church. Built a year ago to remember all those who'd died because of geo-stigma. He looked at the stone fountain, a statue built to resemble a woman pouring water on a small child's head. It wasn't by accident that the woman looked like Aerith. Rufus had done that on purpose. His secret way of atoning for her death and apologizing and thanking Cloud and his friends for their help.

"So, what happens if he is in there?" Justus asked, looking at Rude intently.

"Have your gun out, Justus," he said quietly. "He is not going to get away today."

Rude didn't spare the younger man a glance. He did pull out his own gun though, and then he walked forward, towards the doors. He couldn't help but notice that the foreboding feeling was getting stronger. But he had to ignore it. He was so close to getting him. To killing him and making sure that Elena would have nothing to fear.

He kicked the door open and entered warily. His eyes scanned the entire area, taking in o sign of movement or life. He took slow steps down the aisle, looking into each pew as he passed.

"I don't think he's here," Justus said.

Rude turned to face him, to tell him to shut the hell up, but suddenly, something large fell from the opening in the roof and landed in front of Rude. Havre wasted no time in sliding his knife into his side, making the tall man fall to a knee, wincing in pain.

"Shoot him!" he ordered, looking up at Justus who had his gun pointed at the bear of a man. "Shoot him!"

Rude couldn't have expected what happened next. As much as he hated Justus, he never would have seen this coming. He lowered his gun and then looked at Havre with a face full of irritation. "What the bloody hell took you so long?"

"I had other things to deal with," he said. "Trying to recruit more members. You know that the two of us aren't enough."

"And why is she still alive?" he yelled again. "I practically handed her to you, and yet, she still lives. How much more do I have to do to ensure that it gets done?"

"She would have died if him and that red-haired man hadn't shown up. They really saved her at the last possible second. I have a feeling that as long as the red head is alive, it'll be difficult to take her out."

At that, Justus looked at Rude and slowly approached him. "You know where Reno lives, don't you?" he asked, kneeling down to look him in the eyes. In the greatest form of insult, he ripped the shades from his face and then broke them in half. "Why don't you tell me where that is, and I'll let you live."

Rude was still in shock. Justus had been working against them the whole time! How had nobody noticed? It had to be because of Elena. All of their attention had been on her and her wellness. It was not a surprise that nobody detected the rookie.

"Are you going to tell me, or are you going to sit around stupidly?"

"I don't understand," he admitted. "If you wanted to kill her, why didn't you do it when you were on that mission with her? Why did you kill your own men?"

"Those weren't our men," he said. "They were people we'd captured and forced into acting the part. No, all of our men were killed in the explosion. And we did try to kill her. We never expected her to survive the shot. We would have shot her again, but that stupid pilot was flying over. I had to think. I could just shoot her again to assure her death. That would have been the end of all this. But, then I thought, if I let her die slowly from this wound, and it appears like I've caught Havre, Rufus Shinra will still trust me. I will still be able to be the eyes inside the ministry. So, I pretended to overpower him, and then waited for them to lower the safety basket."

"Why do you want her dead so badly?" he asked, clutching the wound on his side.

"She's the one who set the bomb, is she not?" he asked with malice. "Everybody died because of her. Everybody…including our families. And she will pay now. Now, where is she?" he screamed, grabbing Rude by the collar.

"If you think I'm about to sell out my family, then you have another thing coming." Rude smiled at his vexed expression, and then another thought struck him. "Justus…if you hated her so much, why did you…"

"Sleep with her?" he asked. "Well…simply because I could."

That was perhaps the worst thing to say to him. Ignoring the pain in his side, he tackled him. He landed a few punches before Havre finally managed to pull him off. "I'm going to kill you, you son-of-a-bitch!" he yelled, his face turning red.

"I somehow doubt that," he smirked.

"Even if you kill me, Justus, I promise that you won't be able to lay a hand on her. She's being watched too closely. Not just by Reno or Tseng. Rufus Shinra has taken her protection very personally."

"That won't make any difference," he said. "The troopers are easy enough to overcome. There is only one more obstacle that I have to worry about."

"Reno?" Rude laughed. "Obviously, you are underestimating Tseng. But yes, I can see why you'd be afraid of Reno. He's not like anybody else. You shoot a normal person, they'd die. You shoot him…he just gets pissed off. Trust me, you'll find it a lot more difficult to trick him than it was to trick me. He knew from the start that there was something off about you."

"Let's get one thing straight," he said. "I am not afraid of Reno."

"Sure you are. It's nothing to be ashamed of. He's a formidable man. He's not second in command for nothing, you know."

Justus was about to say something, but suddenly his cell phone rang. His smiled widened stupidly, and then he looked up at Havre. "Gag him. It seems our favorite little blonde is trying to get a hold of me."

"Elen-" the rest was muffled by a large hand over his mouth. Rude tried to struggle, but then was in excruciating pain. Havre was clutching his knife wound.

"Hello," Justus said, looking at Rude. "Hey there, Laney. I was worried about you for a while. Where've you been?"

Rude was helpless to warn her. He was in so much pain and he was losing a lot of blood. He tried to regain his footing, but it only made Havre squeeze harder. Angry now, he turned, ignoring the fact that Havre just tore at his wound, and then landed a hard punch to the giant's jaw. But by then, it was too late. Justus had already hung up the phone.

"Well, it seems she's gotten tired of Reno. She needs a place to stay. It would have been rude of me to not let her stay at my place."

"No!" Rude gasped.

"So, it seems I won't have to deal with Reno or Tseng after all." The smug smile on his face made Rude's blood boil. "And by the time they suspect anything, she'll be dead. And so will you. I can't risk you calling to warn anybody."

It was then that he pulled his gun out again. Rude closed his eyes. "So, this is how it ends?" he asked. "Oh well…I've never been on this adventure before." He reached into his jacket and pulled out his spare shades. "But, like I've always said…if this is my end…I'm going out in style."

"You're pathetic," Justus sneered.

"Ironic, coming from you. But, I must warn you, Justus. You'd better get this right, because if this doesn't kill me…I'll be coming for you."

"Don't worry. I won't mess this up."

And then he fired. The bullet went straight through him, through his heart. He only grunted once he felt the fire rip through his chest, but the impact of the bullet had him flying backward. Right into the water.

Justus waited for a minute or so. He hadn't resurfaced. He was dead. "There was no way anybody could have survived that," he said.

"Are you sure?" Havre asked. "We've made this mistake before."

"If the bullet didn't kill him, he'll drown. Come, Havre. We have an appointment to keep." They left quickly, leaving the door open behind them. A few more minutes passed. Nothing. Not even a ripple.


	17. Rescue

**Tengoko: Well, I didn't keep you waiting in suspense for too long I suppose. I hope this chapter makes up for the shock and surprise of the last. Honestly, I was afraid that some of you might just hunt me down if I didn't update any sooner, heh. Well, in a very Elena like way, I've been talking too much, so I'll just let you all get on with the chapter. Please Review.  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 17: Rescue  
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People couldn't help but gape at the strange sight. They all knew who he was, but never had they seen him like this. Dripping wet, his face paled with pain. No, not him. Never him. He was indestructible. One of Shin-Ra's finest. To seem him as he was now was too surreal by half. It was almost surprising to them to discover that he could bleed.

Finally, a young woman stepped forward, more like raced, and approached him, sliding a hand behind his back and putting one on his stomach to steady him. Rude looked at her appreciatively before saying, "I need a phone."

She nodded. "Of course, sir. I've got one in my house. Come on." She grimaced a bit when she began leading him. Though she could tell he was trying to put most of his weight on his own two feet, it was still a difficult endeavor for the much smaller woman. The moment they crossed the threshold, Rude became aware of another pair of eyes upon him. A small child, staring with confusion at the sight.

"Hunter, go get mommy some towels, all right. And bring the first aid kit." Without a word, the boy complied. She set Rude down on her sofa before kneeling in front of him.

"Ma'am, that phone."

"Right now?"

He nodded. Quickly, she rose to her feet and disappeared into the kitchen. It didn't take her too long to return. Handing him her phone, she stood in front of him and waited for her son to return with what she'd requested.

Rude wasted no time in dialing Elena's number. Pick up! Pick up! She didn't. Stupid girl. Probably saw his number and ignored it, thinking he was calling on behalf of Reno. He'd have to remember to get after her for that later, but now, there were more pressing matters at hand.

He dialed another number and waited. This time he wasn't disappointed. Reno's angry voice filled his ear, but still, it was a comforting voice to hear just now. "What the hell do you want?" he'd snapped.

"Why the hell did you let Elena leave your apartment?"

"She's not my prisoner, Rude. I can't force her to stay."

"Reno…I've been wounded. I should be dead, but I got lucky."

"Shit man. Where are you? Are you at the hospital?"

"No, it gets more complicated than that." He looked up at the woman who was politely trying not to listen, but couldn't help it. The sight of her made him pause for a moment. How had he not realized how beautiful she was? She was a petite woman with long, raven black hair that fell in waves down to her lowerback. Her eyes were a deep gray, almost blue but not quite, and had an exotic angle to them, almost gypsy like. Before he could observe anything else, Reno's voice snapped him back to reality.

"Why the hell not? Justus should have taken you there the moment you were injured."

"That's the thing, Reno. Havre's not the one who shot me…" There was a deafening silence that followed afterwards. Rude continued. "He's been working against us the whole time. Look, I'll be fine. I'll call Tseng and have somebody come pick me up, but you need to stop Elena from going to Justus. He'll kill her."

"…Fuck!" It was the last thing he heard before Reno hung up the phone. Rude let out a breath. Reno would get to her. He knew he would. The man cared more about the girl than even he realized and would give his life to ensure her protection. He could rest easy now.

It was then that he realized the woman who'd helped him had already unzipped his jacket and was now unbuttoning his shirt. He stiffened a bit and then winced when she put a wet towel on his wound. She chuckled. "Imagine a big guy like you wincing at a little thing like this."

"A little thing?" he defended. "Woman, I just got shot."

"Oh stop being a baby," she teased, cleaning away the dried blood. She slid her hand around him, making him shudder. Her hand came to rest on his shoulder blade, and he winced again. "It seems it went straight through you. That's a good thing. I can fix you right up and not have to worry about the bullet still being inside of you."

"Ma'am, this isn't necessary. I can call Shin-Ra and have them send a medical team."

"You don't trust me?" she asked, her eyes glinting with humor.

"I just don't want to be a bother. Besides, I probably shouldn't be here when your husband gets home. He might not be as willing to help a Turk as you are."

She shook her head. "What makes you think I'm married?" She turned around and looked at Hunter who had his eyes plastered to the television now, apparently bored with what his mother was doing. She turned back to look at Rude, her gray, stormy eyes reflecting on his shades.

"Sorry, I just assumed…"

She smiled again. "No need to apologize. You didn't know." At that, she reached for his shades and removed them. "There, that's better. It's unnerving talking to somebody when I can't see their eyes. And, if I may be frank, sir…you really shouldn't cover up those eyes." Her smile widened when she saw his cheeks redden, but she pretended not to notice. She just grabbed her towel, and continued to attend to his wounds.

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How long had she been sitting there? For some reason, she couldn't will herself to move. Her phone had been ringing non-stop for the past seven minutes now. All from Reno. She fought the desire to pick it up. Hearing his voice was the last thing she wanted to do right now. She was still too angry to speak with him.

The cell phone rang again. Glancing at the caller ID, she was surprised to see a new name. Tseng. Hesitantly, she hit talk, and put the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"Elena! Where are you?"

"In a parking garage," she answered, looking around as a car pulled up the drive and started looking for an empty space.

"Elena. Something's happened. I need you to come to headquarters. You'll be safe here. Hell, why don't you pick up the phone when people call you? Reno's been trying to get a hold of you for the past ten minutes. I don't care what's going on in your personal life, Elena. When your superior calls you, you pick up the damned phone."

"Sorry," she said apologetically. She reached for the keys in the ignition and started the car up. "Is this about Havre. Because, I'm only a few steps away from being at Justus' place. I'm sure he'll…"

"No, Elena!" he shouted. "Justus was the one who let Havre out. They've been working together, and he will not hesitate to kill you."

Elena was in shock. "…what?"

"Elena. Just get out of there now!"

"How do you know all this?" she demanded, tears filling her eyes. She'd never felt so betrayed, so angry. But, she was mostly upset with herself. She should have seen this. How could she have let herself been deceived by him. And now, Reno would most definitely have the right to wag a finger in her face and do the whole 'I told you so.'

"Reno called me. Justus tried to kill Rude. He's fine," he added when he heard her gasp. "We're sending some people to go get him now. But, Elena…you need to get somewhere safe. Do you understand?"

She was about to answer him, about to tell him that she did. It was at that moment that she started backing her car out. She screamed, more out of surprise than anything, when her car was suddenly rammed into. She looked out of the window and saw the grinning face of Justus in the other car.

"Tseng…" She tried to step on the gas, but Justus had pinned her car into the tight spot between two other vehicles. There was only one thing for it. Unbuckling her seat belt, she grabbed her gun and crawled over into the other seat. The door was pinned by the other car.

"Elena?" Tseng called out. "What's happened?"

"Send help," she pleaded, before kicking the window with her boots. The glass shattered everywhere, and she slid out, just as she saw the Havre getting out of the other car. Jumping to the cement, she turned and took off running. She heard a car door slam behind her and then the sound of screeching tires. "Oh Gods!"

"Elena! What's going on?"

She didn't look behind her. She didn't have to. It was obvious what they were going to do. There was no way she could outrun a car. "They're going to kill me," she panted, turning around and pulling the trigger. It went straight through the windshield, but both men had ducked when they saw her lift the gun.

They were getting closer. She shot again, which caused them to swerve away. The car doors opened again. But they didn't get out so fast. Elena took cover behind another car and peered over the top. So, it was going to come down to a shoot-out?

She dropped the phone and checked her gun. She didn't have a lot of bullets left. This was the end. She frowned. She never did say good-bye to Reno. She'd die here, and he'd only remember that they'd been angry with each other, that she'd been mad at him. It wouldn't matter that she forgave him now. He never would know.

There was a gunshot and then, much to her dismay, Justus shouted. "Come out, come out wherever you are. You aren't getting out of this one alive, Laney."

"Don't call me that!" she snapped. "You fucking coward! If you're going to kill me…fine! But at least do it like a man and not like a fucking pansy!"

"Kill her!" she heard him bark. Suddenly, there was an onslaught of gunfire. She turned and took aim, hitting Havre in the right shoulder. He'd been running towards the car. Obviously Justus had meant to distract her while he went around the side to get her. It's a good thing Elena suspected as much.

"Try again," she challenged. "It'll take a better plan to get kill a Turk."

"Why you…"

But whatever it was that he was going to say, got cut short. Elena turned when she heard the loud sound of an engine and screeching tires. A black car was speeding towards them, and then, as it approached, the driver stepped on the gas, causing the car to spin.

"Reno!" she cried, as the red-head emerged from the window and begun shooting at the two men who'd retreated back into the car. Reno's car had stopped spinning, now facing the opposite direction so that the passenger side was closest to Elena. Taking that as a cue, she ran from her hiding spot and jumped into the car.

Reno fired one last time before getting back into the car and flooring it. They sped off, knowing full well that Reno's car was much faster than Justus'. In next to no time, they'd lost them and Reno slowed down.

They drove in silence, further and further away from the city. Elena had no idea where they were going. All she knew was that Reno had saved her for the umpteenth time. Even after everything that they'd said to each other, he was there. She turned to look at him and saw the most unreadable expression on his face.

"Reno?"

"Hold on, Elena," he whispered, a tone that seemed so alien coming from him. He pulled into the parking lot of an inn. "Come on," he ordered, getting out of the car. She followed suit. She waited behind Reno as he talked to the man behind the counter, and then he turned around and took her hand.

He led her down a narrow hall and opened the door. "You'll be safe here," he said. Tseng's already made arrangements. There are guards everywhere. Nobody will get to you, I promise."

He turned to leave, but Elena sprung forward and caught his arm. "You're going to kill him…aren't you?" He didn't answer which made it clear. "You could get killed," she said quietly.

"That is a risk," he admitted. "It's always a risk. It's never bothered you before."

"I've never thought about it before." She slid her arms around him, pressing herself against his back. Reno's hand came to rest atop hers as the other reached behind him to pull her head to his shoulder.

"It bothers me now," she told him, squeezing tighter. "Don't got yet, Reno. Stay a little bit longer."

He smiled. "Damn, Laney. Stop being so weak. You're a Turk." He turned around to take her into his arms and asked, "how long would you like me to stay?"

"Forever," she cried, resting her head against his chest. Reno was taken aback by this. She looked up at him, tears falling on their own accord. "Or at least until I tell you how I feel about you. I'd hate for you to die without knowing."

Reno looked at her, his own eyes filled with uncertainty. "How do you feel about me?" he asked.

Elena paused for a moment. Her eyes bore deep into his, her lips curling into a sweet, innocent smile. More tears fell as her arms tightened around his waist. She didn't have to answer him now. She just did. Her eyes said it all. "I love you."

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**Ooo! What'll happen now? I won't keep you waiting too long. I promise...).**


	18. Click

**Tengoko: Told you I'd update quickly. All right...so this chapter does have a lemon. Like in my other stories, I've marked it off, so if you don't want to read it you don't have to. But, I do suggest that you read the end as it is very, very crucial to the plot. So, please review. It is especially important for this chapter. I always get nervous when I write the lemons. Well, enjoy.  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 18: Click  
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She didn't wait for his response. Quickly, as though afraid he'd push her away, she tightened her grip around him and pressed her face against his chest. She could hear his heart beat clearly; fast and loud. She looked back up at him, his eyes trained on hers, his mouth partially open as he absorbed the enormity of her words.

Elena brought a small hand to his cheek. "Aren't you going to say something?" she asked, her heart pounding faster and faster. To her horror, Reno shook his head. That's it. He was rejecting her. She shouldn't have said anything. She looked away from him, tears clouding her vision, and was prepared to go hide herself under the covers.

But then, Reno took her hand, held it securely against his face, and then turned to plant a soft, gently kiss on her palm. His other hand caught her chin and pulled her back towards him. Tenderly, his fingertips glided down her neck before sliding behind to pull her closer. "Reno?" she sobbed softly.

"You talk too much," was all he said, before he leaned down to smoothly, yet firmly, kiss her. He heard her whimper as he deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue passed her parted lips. Suddenly, the kiss, which had begun so beautifully and innocently, turned fiercely fervent. It was almost as if he was desperate to taste her, to get his fill and more.

Finally, he abandoned her mouth and was sliding her jacket off. The moment her shoulder was exposed to him, his hot lips were on her skin. Elena moaned once she felt his tongue on the nape of her neck. Her arms wrapped around him selfishly, telling him in her own special way that she wanted more.

She felt his hand on the small of her back, pulling her even closer. Her eyes widened when she felt his desire pressing against her. Oh Gods, this was really happening. They were going to make love, finally, after everything that had gone on between them. With that thought, Elena grabbed Reno's face between her hands and brought his lips back towards hers, greedily invading his mouth with her own tongue.

**(The Lemon Starts Here)  
**Next thing Reno knew, she was unbuttoning his shirt. Both his jacket and his shirt crumpled to the floor, and he shuddered when her cold hands came to rest on his chest. At that moment, something came over Reno. An almost animalistic force. Before he realized what he was doing, he'd lifted Elena off of the ground and carried her towards the bed.

He was straddling her now, hovering over her as though contemplating his next move. Elena, never having much patience, began teasing him by drawing a slow, seductive path with her fingers over his chest, over his abs, lower, and lower. Her hand slid into his pants and she heard him gasp, and then groan when she pulled back.

"That's not very nice," he said, leaning over and kissing her neck.

"I guess you'll just have to teach me a lesson," she teased, her hands rubbing his strong shoulders. "And I'm so ready to learn, Reno."

Reno chuckled at that, before bulling her shirt over her head. "I'm so ready to teach you," he smiled, staring down at her breasts. He gently cupped one of them in his hand as he kissed her again.

Elena was delirious with pleasure. Never could she have imagined she could feel this way with anybody. Sure, she'd imagined what it'd be like to be in this situation with Reno. But, she coudln't have imagined it'd feel this great. She hadn't even known it was possible. Inside, feelings that she was new to were filling her senses. It was as if somebody had set a fire within, and without realizing it, she was bucking her hips up to meet his.

Reno broke the kiss and slid his hand over her stomach, just as she'd done to him. But, he had no intention of teasing her. His hands kept going, lower and lower, unzipping her pants. With both hands, he removed the rest of her clothing. Elena blushed, realizing quite abruptly that she was now naked.

Reno must have sensed her apprehension, for he chuckled and then kissed her cheek. "You're beautiful," he whispered, nipping at her earlobe. "And perfect."

She smiled appreciatively before saying, "I thought that in order for this to work, both of us had to be naked."

"I thought I was the teacher," he joked, watching as her small hands reached for his pants. He helped her take them off, but as he was about to straddle her again, she suddenly flipped him over, taking him by surprise. "Laney…"

"Shh," she whispered. "This is what I like to call, independent study." And then, she lowered herself onto his erection. They both moaned as he filled her. And then it really hit her. He was inside of her. He was letting her make love to him. Oh Gods.

She was slow. Taking the time to savor every inch of him, memorizing the way he felt as she moved up and down on him. He didn't seem to mind the pace of things. In fact, he seemed to enjoy it just was much as she was, if his moans were any indication.

"Faster," he pleaded.

Elena smiled, knowing now that she was in full control. She liked the way that felt. "What was that?" she asked, her voice sly as she slowed down even more, as if to torture him. Reno groaned. He knew what she wanted. For him to beg. Any other time, he wouldn't have given in.

"Please, Laney." He moaned.

"Please…what?"

"Ah, fuck it," he groaned, grabbing her by the waist and rolling her over.

"What…?" she exclaimed. But, it was too late to regain control. He'd hooked his hand under her knee and was now driving into her, thrusting wildly. Oh Gods. This was nice too. Better than what she'd been doing. She screamed his name as he slammed, harder and harder, faster and faster.

"Reno!" she cried out. It started at her toes, and seemed to race all throughout her body. He'd hit that spot, that one spot sure to drive a woman crazy. And it did. It wasn't just her scream that let him know, but the way her whole body was reacting. He hit it again, and again, bringing her to a spectacular climax.

He groaned as he felt her orgasm around him, and that in turn caused him to go over the edge, spilling his warmth inside of her. He collapsed on top of her, completely drained but incredibly pleased.

Elena held him against her, her body still trembling from what they'd just done. She felt as if she'd never stop smiling. Never did she want to move. She liked the way they were just now. Lovers, holding one another, oblivious to the world around them. She felt him kissing her neck again, but sighed once he pulled out of her.

**(All right, if you skipped the lemon, you can read from here)**

"Reno?" She sat up a bit when he rolled off of her and began searching for his clothes.

"Damn, babe. You've worn me out," he chuckled.

"Are you leaving?" she asked, pulling a sheet to cover her nakedness.

Reno rolled his eyes and approached her, pulling the sheet down and kissing her affectionately. "I have to, Laney. Somebody's got to stop Justus."

"Let me go with you," she said. "And don't you dare tell me no, Reno. I'm a Turk too, in case you've forgotten. It'll be just like any other mission."

"No…Laney. It won't." He bent over and picked his shirt up. "And no, you can't come with me."

"Well, too damn bad, Reno."

"I don't want to fight you on this," he said. "Tseng doesn't want you to go either. This is one mission you'll have to sit out."

Elena felt herself become very angry. "Damn it! I'm sick of everybody treating me like a child. Just in case you missed it, I held my own back there today."

"You were just lucky," he told her, buttoning up his shirt. "You would have lasted maybe five more minutes before they realized that you had no more bullets left." He leaned over her again and brushed his thumb over her cheek. "They could have killed you today, Laney."

"As you said, Reno. It's always a risk. And I'm a Turk. It's a risk that is necessary."

"I've said all I'm going to say about it," he said, sitting up and pulling his jacket on.

"Well, you can't go alone!" she yelled. "What if something happens to you? Nobody will be there to save your ass."

"Elena, stop!" he finally raised his voice. "Could you at least try to understand why I can't take you with me?"

"I'd get in your way," she answered quietly. "Because one way or another, I always manage to do the wrong thing and muck everything up. Because I'm a nuisance who always needs protection."

"No," he said, shaking his head.

"Then why?" she cried, looking up at him.

He smiled. "Because…I love you…and I don't think I could stand to see you get hurt."

Elena could have cried. He'd said it. Those words that she'd been dying to hear him say. Elated, she jumped from the bed and threw her arms around him. But, her happiness was cut short when she heard a clicking sound and felt cold metal around her wrist. Suddenly, her arm was being pulled back. He was too quick to struggle against. He'd successfully handcuffed her to the bed.

"I can't risk you following me, babe," he said.

Elena was crushed. Is that why he'd told her he loved her? To trick her? She began yanking her hand, but she knew the handcuffs would hold. "Fine," she said, giving into defeat, her eyes darkening with bitterness.

"I did mean it," he said, a little anxiously. "I do love you, Elena."

"Yeah?" she spat. "Well…I don't believe you. So, go to hell, Reno! Straight to hell!"

"Laney…" he stepped closer to her and took her into his arms. "I love you. I love you." He tried to kiss her, but as he got close to her lips, she turned her head to the side. "Elena," he pleaded, his voice growing more nervous. "Please, believe me."

"I thought you had somewhere that you needed to be," she said vehemently. "Far be it from me to stop you."

Reno didn't move for a minute. It was as if he was stuck between the decision to go or stay. But, they both knew that he had to go. He tried to kiss her again, but like before, she turned away. "Oh…well then…" It was the way he sounded more than anything that made Elena look at him. It was a voice she'd never heard from him. As though he were trying not to cry. "…I guess…I'll go now."

He kissed her cheek and then walked to the door. He glanced behind him and smiled weakly at her. "I love you," he said softly. And then he was gone, the door clicking behind him.

Elena immediately jumped to her feet, wanting to run after him. To tell him she was sorry. But she was stuck to the bed. And then the scariest thought struck her. What if he died? What if she never got the chance to apologize for being so unreasonable. Never got to tell him that she believed him? Her heart began racing in panic.

"Reno!" she shouted, hoping he could still hear her. Hoping he'd come back. He never did. Elena feared that he never would again.  
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**Tengoko: All right, I'm sorry to end it there. I know...my damn cliffies. I'll update as soon as I can. I promise. **


	19. Hands

**Tengoko: Sorry for taking so long. For some reason, my browser wouldn't cooperate with me yesterday. This chapter was a little hard to write, especially after the last chapter. But some questions might be answered about this mystery woman that Rude's stumbled upon. Will there be a sequel for him and her? I don't know...I guess that's up to you. I really wouldn't mind writing one (anything with the Turks is just fine with me). If you'd like me to write a sequel...let me know, and I'll start planning it out ;). Well, enough of that. Please review. Always love reading them. Enjoy.  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 19: Hands  
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Rude wasn't quite sure how he'd ended up this way. He was laying out on the couch, completely shirtless and at the mercy of the beautiful, dark-haired woman who was determined to patch him up. He kept glancing at his watch. Damn, Tseng was taking a long time getting Shin-Ra troopers to him. How much longer would he have to endure the fantastic torture that she was unknowingly inflicting upon him?

He hadn't felt so nervous when the little boy, Hunter as she called him, had been in the room. But, he'd gone to bed about ten minutes ago, and now he had nobody else to divert his attention to. Only her, and her mesmerizing gray eyes.

"I never got your name," she said, pressing a gauze pad to his side. He winced which caused her to roll her eyes. "You don't talk a lot, do you? You haven't said two words to me in twenty minutes. I'm beginning to think you don't like me."

Rude's pale blue eyes looked down at her hand as she began rubbing the wound soothingly. Beautiful hands. So small, yet so delicate. Her fingers were nimble and thin, much like a violinist or pianist. He winced again when she pressed the gauze more firmly against him, now making her chuckle.

"Maybe I'll play for you some time," she said, catching Rude completely off guard. "I've been playing the violin since I was a young girl. My father taught it to me. Said music was one of the most effective ways to express the truth within your soul. Honestly, I don't think truer words had ever been spoken."

She glanced up at him, her eyes sparkling inexplicably. "Still not talking, are you?" she laughed. "Well, then I guess I'll just tell you my name. I'm Lavinia. Now it's your turn."

Rude cleared his throat nervously. "My name is Rude," he said quietly.

She started laughing. Rude couldn't figure out what he'd done. "What an odd name," she said.

Rude's face reddened. "It's about as odd as Lavinia," he muttered, looking away from her. This only caused her to laugh a little harder. Much to his chagrin, he couldn't help but notice that she had an endearing laugh.

Suddenly she stood up, absently humming a tune to herself, and grabbed a pen. Turning back towards him, she took his hand and began writing on it. Rude looked at her curiously before she smiled and set the pen down on his stomach. "That's my phone number," she told him.

"Why are you giving this to me?" he asked, looking at his hand.

"Because we have a date. Have you already forgotten? You've got to listen to me play my violin."

Before he could say anything to that, Lavinia had grabbed the antiseptic and was now dabbing at his side. Rude really winced now. It hurt more than the actual stab had. And it just felt like the burning sting was getting worse.

"Oh, stop," she scolded, as though he were a child. But, then she leaned down and began blowing on it to ease the burn. "Better?" she smiled.

It had to have been her smile. Rude had never seen such a smile. Before he knew it, his hands were under her arms, pulling her closer to him. She only seemed surprised for a moment, gasping a little until his kiss caught her breath. Gods. He was swooning. Never had a kiss made him feel like an untried youth, inexperienced and over eager. And it wasn't until he felt her tongue on his lips that he realized what he'd just done.

Holding her up, he stared at her contritely, but her gray eyes didn't hold any anger. In fact, she looked quite amused. With a chuckle, she put her hand on his shoulder and said, "I suppose I should be expecting a call from you then?"

"I'm sorry about that," Rude said, a blush rising furiously to his cheeks.

"Oh, don't apologize," she smiled. "I was rather hoping you'd be the first to kiss me. It spared me the embarrassment of making the first move." She was only joking, but it only made Rude blush more. Gods, what was wrong with him? He never blushed. And already, in the short time he'd known this woman, he found that blushing was really all he could do.

It was in the very next moment that there was a loud knock on her door. Slowly, she got up, and the second she answered it, Tseng and a few troopers filled the room, taking in the sight of the wounded, but no longer near death Turk.

"How'd it happen?" Tseng asked, looking at the gun wound and the slash on his side.

"He led me into a trap," he told him, sitting up. Havre stabbed me to get me down, and after it became clear that I wasn't needed to help them find Elena, Justus decided he was going to keep me down. Tseng, if I hadn't been shot into that water, I would have been killed. The bullet went through my heart, I'll be damned if it didn't."

"How'd you wind up here?"

Rude looked at Lavinia appreciatively. Tseng followed his gaze. "And you are?" he asked her.

"Lavinia. Lavinia Lewandowski."

"I will remember to thank you for your kindness Miss Lewandowski. I'm sure Rufus Shinra would also like to express his thanks. Rude is one of our most cherished employees."

Lavinia was about to say something, but Rude's voice cut her off. "Tseng, your thanks won't be necessary. As it stands, I'd like to thank her personally."

Standing up, he grabbed the pen and slowly made his way towards her. Grabbing her hand, he said. "This is my number. I'd love to hear you play your violin." With that, he bent down and kissed her cheek. Finally it was Lavinia's turn to blush.

Rude walked towards the door, pulling his jacket on one arm at a time, but not even bothering with his shirt. Tseng smiled at Lavinia before turning his attention on Rude. "Reno's out looking for him," he said.

Rude nodded as he made his way outside, the others behind him. Tseng closed the door and pushed through the troopers to walk next to Rude. "I know you aren't in any condition to fight, Rude. But…"

"You know I want to," he finished. "I can't let Reno fight on his own. Besides that…I did promise Justus that I'd get him if he didn't finish me off."

"Right then," Tseng nodded. "I will also be going. Reno's already called. Elena is safe. I told him we'd rendezvous with him at headquarters. Come, I've brought the chopper." He grabbed Rude by the elbow and quickened the pace. It hurt Rude a little to be walking faster, but he knew that there was no time to waste.

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Elena sat for a few minutes, studying the chain. It was sturdy. There was no way she could break it. And her hands weren't small enough to slide through. She'd already tried that. Dried blood on her palm and fingertips could attest to that. She was so desperate to get free though. She'd even resort to gnawing her own wrist off if it came down to it. Okay...so she wouldn't do that, but she knew she had to do something.

And then the answer came to her. So obvious she couldn't believe she hadn't thought of it before. The bed was made of wood. Solid wood, but wood could always be broken given the right leverage.

Moving quickly, she took hold of the chain with her free hand, and put her feet against the post. Damn, this was going to be hard. She tugged as hard as she could while her feet pushed. Nothing. Her wrist was stinging. She didn't care. She tried again. Nothing. Fresh blood dripped down her arm. Again. The wood moaned. Again. It cracked. Or was that her wrist? It didn't matter. Something was happening. Again…The wood split. One more hard kick had divided the pole right down the middle.

Smiling, pleased with herself, she slipped the cuff from the pole and stood up. That's when she realized that she was still quite naked. She made quick work of putting her clothes back on.

One last look at the bed. She still couldn't believe what had happened. They'd really made love, hadn't they? He'd really told her that he loved her. She really believed it. But, he didn't think so now. Cursing herself, she wiped away her silent tears. Why was it that every time they seemed to be getting closer, she kept making things worse?

Her body still tingled where his fingertips had touched her. She closed her eyes and remembered the taste and feel of his kiss so perfectly, that she was sure he'd be there when her eyes opened. She smiled when she imagined his arms around her, holding her securely against his warm body. She did love him. And she swore there and now that she would never do anything again to knowingly push him away. She wanted to make him happy. And in doing that, she knew that she too would be happy. If Reno, a man who had once told her that he never would fall in love, had outright said that he loved her, then there was no doubt in her mind that he meant it. She smiled at that. They loved each other.

Looking down at her gun, she flipped the barrel and stared at the two bullets she had left. One for Havre. And one for Justus. Yes. She knew that going would anger not only Reno, but Tseng and Rude as well. She was willing to do that…one last time. This was her fight. They wouldn't be in this mess if she'd just listened to Reno at the beginning. And now…she was going to make it all right. She was going to fix it. Then…she'd apologize to Reno and tell him that he was right…and that she loved him.

She reached out to the doorknob and cursed under her breath. He'd locked her inside. So, he had anticipated her making an unlikely, but not impossible escape from the bed. Still, not all was lost. If there was one thing that Reno and Rude had taught her, it was that there was always a way out of every and any scrap. You just had to be resourceful.

So...what did she know? Well, there were Shin-Ra troopers all around the building. There was no way she'd get out without anybody seeing her, so there really was no bother in trying. Another thing is, once she did get out of the room, she'd have to procure a car. That wouldn't be too hard. Rude had taught her how to hotwire only three years ago. It would be easy enough getting passed the troopers. They wouldn't be allowed to touch her. She wasn't an enemy. There was nothing they could use against her. Lastly...one of them would have a key to her room. Reno would have made sure that it would be possible to get her out should Justus or Havre discover where she was. Really, all she had to do now, was bait them.

"HELP ME!" she screamed shrilly. "GODS, PLEASE HELP ME!"

She heard footsteps running towards the door.In seconds, the door was opened, and the man from the front desk rushed in only to get a boot in his face, knocking him out.

"Sorry about that," she said, though he couldn't hear her. She checked the man quickly to make sure he was okay, and then she hurried down the hall and into the foyer. Shit. She hadn't expected troopers to be waiting there. They all looked at her, and then froze.

"Elena!" One of them shouted. "You aren't supposed to be out here. Tseng's and Reno's orders."

"You want to stop me?" she asked, walking towards the door. "Then shoot me." She knew they wouldn't. That's why she said it. Though, they did block her way. But really, that's all they could do.

"Somebody…call Tseng."

"Yeah…you do that. In the mean time…I'll be taking one of your cars. Don't worry. I'll try and have it returned to you in one piece."


	20. Luck

**Tengoko: Sorry for taking so long. I really got stuck on this chapter. Wasn't sure how to start or how to finish. Fortunately, I did know what I wanted in the middle, so I wound up writing that first, and then worked my way around it. Well, same old schpiel. I'd love reviews. They always motivate me. Also, I've planned a plot should I decide to write a Rude/Lavinia story. I can't tell you too much about it as it might spoil the end of this story, but, if you are interested in reading a sequel, let me know. Well, I'll shut up now and let you read. Enjoy.  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 20: Luck  
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"I've just called the president," Tseng said, as he jumped into the chopper. Rude and Reno turned to look at him, impatience ever present in their eyes. Tseng took a seat, ignoring that for now, and continued. "He wants me to order you to stay behind, Rude. Said that you were in no condition to fight. Also mentioned that if I fail to give you such orders, it'd result in my suspension." He laughed at that. He knew that Rufus wouldn't suspend him. There was too much work to be done, and Tseng was his most trusted employee. He might be a pain in the ass, but the president wasn't a stupid man.

"So, then what?" Rude asked, slightly annoyed. "I'm not leaving." He said it as though challenging his boss. His shoulders went rigid and, his eyebrows shot up.

Tseng chuckled. "I told you your orders, just as he commanded me to. However, he didn't exactly say what would happen if you refused to follow them. As long as my ass is covered, I really don't give a damn what you choose to do. But, if you're going to change your mind any time soon, you'd better do it within the next three seconds. Reno, take off."

Those words had been what Reno was waiting to hear. "About damn time," he mumbled. In moments, the chopper was off the ground, slowly ascending above Midgar. "Where exactly are we headed, Tseng?" Reno asked, glancing behind him. "I really would hate to think we're going on a wild goose chase."

Tseng smiled nervously. "Actually…"

"Damn it, Tseng!" he shouted, "you said that you had everything under control."

"And I do," he assured him. "You may depend on that. It's just, we'll have to hunt for a little bit before we actually…you know…get them."

"Great. Just when I thought my day couldn't get any better," Rude said, fingering the bandages at his side. It really didn't hurt anymore. Rude figured it had a lot to do with the healing power of the water, but at the same time, couldn't help but think it had something to do with Lavinia. He smiled against his will as he remembered the feel of her satin lips against his own. But, he quickly snapped out of it and looked at Reno. "Let's just hurry up and find him."

"Rude…" Reno began hesitantly.

Rude seemed to know where this was going, and curtly he said, "No, Reno. I know you want a piece of him, but I do believe I have more right than anybody to have the delight of killing him." Reno groaned, thinking to himself that if he found him first, he wouldn't leave him for Rude. He'd tried to kill Elena. If he ever got the chance, he was going to make Justus suffer.

"Why do you act like you've had a terrible day?" Tseng teased Rude.

"Well, hell, I don't know," Rude snarled. "Perhaps it's because I just got shot!"

"Are you going to keep holding that over our heads?" Reno asked, smiling slightly.

"I'm not holding it over your head, Reno. But, it's not like he just shot a pebble at me with a slingshot. It's a big deal."

"You've been shot before."

"Never in the chest, you ass!"

"Yes. It's all really sad," Tseng waved off, "but on the lighter side of things…you got a date…" He knew he'd embarrassed him. Rude's cheeks suddenly turned crimson, but before Tseng could capitalize on it, his cell phone rang.

"Damn, I don't know what's up with Tseng recently," Reno smirked. "He's been less…what's the word…anal." Rude laughed at that, but couldn't help but notice, that Tseng's demeanor abruptly changed. His face had paled, and his dark eyes darted towards Reno, his jaw agape.

"How long ago was this?" he asked, unaware that Rude was now listening to him. "Damn it! I told you to keep that fucking door locked!" he shouted.

"What?" Reno shouted, turning to face his boss. "She got out?"

"How the hell did that happen?" Rude asked.

Tseng ignored them, too taken off guard to worry about them just now. To the person on the phone he said, "well, I suggest you get your troops together and go after her. Keep me informed." He hung up the phone and slipped it into his pocket. "Turn the chopper around, Reno. It seems our littlest Turk has decided to take a little joy-ride via grand theft auto." Reno didn't say a word. He immediately turned around, but he couldn't help but notice that his hands were shaking. "I'm going to call Elena. She's not stupid enough to ignore a call from me."

Reno barely heard him. Oh Gods. She was going to find Justus. What if she got there before the rest of them? What if something happened, and he wasn't there to protect her? She could be killed. He felt as though he was going to be sick with the thought. What if she did die? Alone and afraid.

Rude's eyes traveled over in Reno's direction. And he saw something that he'd never seen before. Fear. The man had literally gone white, his face looked gaunt, and he could actually see him trembling. He couldn't believe he hadn't realized it 'til now. Sure, he knew Reno loved Elena. But this much? Nobody could have known.

"We'll find her," Rude promised, putting his hand on his best friend's shoulder. "She'll be just fine. Come on, Elena's been in worse situations before."

"Yes," Reno agreed, nodding slowly. "But…we've always been there to save her."

"And we'll be there again," Tseng said, putting the phone to his ear. "If she refuses to go back, Reno, I'll just have her rendezvous with us. We'll deal with her when we meet up with her. All right? Don't worry. Everything will be fine."

------------

Damn, her wrists were stinging. Looking at them, she still couldn't believe that she'd been able to free herself. Only a few months ago, she couldn't bear the sight of her own blood. Other people's didn't trouble her so much. There was just something about seeing the thick, scarlet colored liquid on her skin, drying into a maroon that served as a harsh reminder of her own humanity.

She smiled when she felt her phone vibrate in her jacket. She was wondering how long it'd take them to get a hold of her. However, when she looked at the caller ID, she became a little disappointed to see that it was Tseng who'd called her. Not Reno. Oh well. She really should have expected it. The troopers called Tseng. They'd have no reason to call Reno. He was second in command. He'd only have been contacted if they couldn't get a hold of Tseng.

"Hello?" she said into the speaker, her voice purposely innocent.

"Elena…you are one tough woman to keep in one place, aren't you?" he joked. She could just imagine him standing in front of her, his hands behind his back and his head shaking. "Next time I think I'm going to have to put you in a a cell."

"Hi there, Tseng. So, who's idea was it to keep me in that miserable motel room? Was it yours?"

"Actually," he said thoughtfully. "It was Rufus' idea. It seems your inclination to go against orders is a little too predictable. Even our president is well aware of your tendencies. Though, I must admit, you've outdone yourself on this one. One of these days, you're going to have to tell us how you managed it."

Elena laughed, surprised that he was taking all this so well. "I'll be sure to do that, Tseng. Maybe tonight, after all of this is over."

There was a brief pause, and then she heard him sigh. "So, I guess asking you to go back would be a waste of breath?"

"You guess correctly," she laughed again. "But, the thought was there, and I appreciate it."

"Damn it, Elena. This is not a laughing matter." Even he was amazed at his abrupt change. One moment joking, the next scolding. But, he really did have a point. Even she knew as much. Still, she wasn't going to let him get angry just yet.

"Then quit making me laugh, sir," she said, not able to wipe the smile off of her face. "Listen, these are the choices that I'm giving you. Either, you let me meet up with you guys and we go fight Justus and Havre together. Or, you tell me to get my ass back to the motel, I ignore you, and find them on my own."

"Rude was right about you. Too damn lippy. Can you believe this?" Elena rolled her eyes, knowing that he was now talking to somebody else. "She's giving me an ultimatum. She's growing too damn bold. I blame you, Reno. She wasn't like this before." She heard a low voice, a voice she was very familiar with, and smiled. His voice warmed her heart, and she smiled just thinking about him. "All right, Elena. You leave me with little choice. Where are you?"

"It doesn't matter. Just tell me where to meet up with you, and I'll get there."

Another pause. Probably asking Reno and Rude where they thought they should meet up. "Elena. Go back to Reno's apartment. We'll meet you on the roof."

"Why there?" she asked, now mapping out in her mind the quickest route.

"Justus doesn't know where he lives," Tseng answered quickly. "So, If, in the unlikely event, you manage to beat us there, we don't have to worry about you being in danger."

"Aw, Tseng. You do care."

"Shut up, Elena," he muttered. "Just get there."

"Oh, Tseng…do me a favor."

"What's that?" he asked, his voice getting smug again.

"Tell Reno that I'm sorry. And that…I do believe him. Tell him, that I love him."

Tseng chuckled and then sighed. "Okay. I'll do that. As long as you don't ask me to give him a kiss for you, too."

"Well…" she thought aloud.

"I draw the line there," he snapped, thinking she was serious. Chagrined, Elena's laughter filled his ear.

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**Ten Minutes Later**  
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He knew it was only a matter of time. Even as he watched her now, he couldn't believe how easy it had been. And she was alone. No Reno. Nobody to save her…again. For a moment, it seemed too good to be true. Why would Shin-Ra let her be by herself? But, after inconspicuously following her for the past five minutes, he'd determined that, yes, she was very alone. And very, very vulnerable.

"Are you sure this isn't a trap?" his partner asked, eyeing her warily. He'd asked that question at least four times now. Each time just as annoying as the time before. "I mean, I've said it before. Turks rarely ever travel alone."

"No," he shook his head. "She's alone. Stupidly so, but alone nonetheless."

"Then, what are we waiting for?" Havre asked, watching as Elena walked towards the entrance doors and disappeared into the building. Just seeing her made his blood boil. She'd been allowed to live too long. After everything that she'd done, the fact that she was still going unpunished irritated the hell out of him.

"We aren't," Justus answered, getting out of the car he'd parked across the street. "Come on, Havre. Hurry!"

He wasted no time. Halting the car in the road, he ran in front of it, and with extraordinary speed, made his way up the stairs, passed the revolving doors, and through the lobby. He saw her, standing in the elevator, looking down at her feet, completely oblivious to everything around her. Stupid. As a Turk, she should have known better. The door started closing. He ran faster. Elena looked up, a look of horror took her face.

But it was too late to do anything about it. He put his hand in front of the door, causing it to open back up. And then he entered, backing the petite blonde into a corner, a glint of triumph present in his eyes. Behind him, he heard somebody else enter the elevator, and then the door closed.

"Hello, Elena. Sorry to have missed you earlier."

"Justus," she gasped. Oh Gods. How the hell had this happened. They were supposed to find him. He wasn't supposed to find her. She closed her eyes, trying to supress the anger she was feeling. Her battle was about to end before she'd even begun to fight it. It couldn't end this way. Not yet. Not when she was just beginning to enjoy living again. "How did you…?"

"It was luck," he smiled, putting a rough hand behind her neck. She struggled against him, but he was too strong. She cursed. How was it that, lately, all these men were making her feel so damn weak? "Havre, stop the elevator. We have much to discuss with Elena."

The car stopped with a jolt, causing Elena to stumble forward into his arms. "Please," she pleaded, trying to push away from him, but he held her against him.

"Now, this is familiar," he said, running his fingers through her hair. "You know, if nothing else comes of this, Laney, at least it's good to know I took something from you that you could never get back." His cruel laugh turned her stomach as unwanted images of him and her returned. "And, believe it or not, it will always hang over Reno's head. He'll never forget it. My memory will prevent whatever happily ever after you've dreamed up."

"Your memory?" she spat. "Don't, for one second, think that you have that much influence on Reno. Or me. A memory is all you'll ever be. And soon, I'm sure I'll be able to completely forget about you."

"Yes," he nodded. "I've no doubt. Dead people tend to do that."

"Well, get on with it then," she said sadly, her thoughts now on Reno. Tears came to her eyes, but she refused to cry. Not in front of him. he'd probably take too much pleasure from it. "Kill me."

Justus chuckled and shook his head. "I'm not stupid, Laney. I know what will happen when I kill you. Reno and the whole of Shin-Ra will make it their personal mission to avenge your death. And while Shin-Ra doesn't scare me…"

"Reno does," she smiled with pride. "Yes. It scares you because he loves me. you know if you kill me, it seals your own fate."

"He certainly does pose a problem," he agreed, his smile gone. "So, I've got one choice, Elena. So, it seems you get to live a little while longer. I can't kill you…until I kill Reno first."


	21. Without You

**Tengoko: Wow. Sorry about the wait. Exams are killing me. Anyway, this chapter was hard to write. I have three different versions of it; this one was the best. Well, please read and review. I love getting reviews. And I hope you enjoy.  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 21: Without You  
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**

They'd only been waiting for ten minutes. Reno leaned against the chopper, his lips pursed around his cigarette, his left hand playing with his lighter. Rude stood next to him, pulling his gloves more securely on his hands. He'd put his shirt back on, but left it unbuttoned so as not to irritate his wounds. His jacket remained in the chopper.

Tseng stood closest to the door, leaning against the wall with his arms folded. His eyes were closed. He seemed to be sleeping. In truth, he was forcing himself to quit worrying. Every passing minute had him more and more anxious. Until she was in front of them, he wouldn't feel at ease. He had to know she was okay.

"She's taking too damned long," Reno finally shouted, throwing the cigarette butt to the ground. "Tseng, give her another call. Ask her how much longer."

"Reno, relax," Tseng said, standing up straighter. "She'll be fine. She can take care of herself."

"I'll believe that when I see it," Rude mumbled, getting a nod of agreement from Reno.

It was then that the door opened. Reno and Rude jerked their heads towards the door just as Elena stepped onto the roof. But, something was wrong. She was crying. Reno pushed himself off the chopper and hurried towards her.

"Reno…I'm sorry," she cried.

"What?"

Suddenly, Elena was pushed down, and Justus jumped over her, gun in hand. Reno reached for his own gun, but even he knew it wouldn't be quick enough. He stared as Justus pulled the trigger, but suddenly, he felt his body lurch, and he was thrown to the ground.

"DAMN YOU!" Justus screamed, staring at Rude, who winced when the bullet grazed his arm. "WHY WON'T YOU ALL JUST FUCKING DIE?"

"Elena!" Rude shouted, ignoring him. She was back on her feet, but Havre was holding her against him. The larger man was turned, facing Tseng, his sword to Elena's throat. "Don't worry, Laney! We'll get you out of this."

"Will you?" Havre snarled.

Reno got back up to his feet, his gun now drawn and aimed at Justus. He fired, but Justus dodged the bullet and yanked Elena from Havre, holding her in front of him as though shielding himself. "Lower the gun, Reno. Or I'll put lead in her skull right now." As if to make his words more threatening, he held his gun to her temple and smirked.

"Don't lower the gun," Elena pleaded. "He wants to kill you, Reno. He's afraid of what you'll do to them if I am harmed. Please, just protect yourself. It's too late for me."

"Shut up," Justus yelled, hitting the side of her head with his gun. She cried out and Rude and Reno almost rushed forward, but Justus cocked his gun and held it to her head again. "If you want her to die, then by all means, keep coming."

"Reno…" Elena whimpered, tears drenching her red cheeks.

"Elena, it's not too late," he insisted, lowering his weapon. "I'm not going to let you die."

"You don't have much choice in the matter," Justus said, raising his gun to Reno.

"You haven't learned," Tseng said out of nowhere, suddenly tearing his own pistol out of his jacket and firing. Justus cried out in pain as he reared back and grabbed his hand. Elena fell to the ground, and turned to see that Justus' finger had been shot off. He was howling in pain. She looked behind him to see Havre rushing at her, but before she could move, she felt a pair of hands take her shoulders and yank her.

"Get her in the damned chopper," she heard Tseng yell.

"No," she screamed, tugging herself out of Rude's grip and running towards Reno. She all but flew into his arms, knocking the wind out of him. "Let me stay with you," she begged. "Please, let me stay with you."

"I don't care who the hell she stays with!" Tseng blasted, now shooting at Havre who'd grabbed Justus and taken cover. "Just get her out of here!"

"Come on, babe," Reno whispered, grabbing her hand and rushing passed the hail of gunfire and back into the stairway. He pulled the door closed behind him and urged her to keep going.

She jumped the stairs two at a time and tugged the door open that led into the hallway. It was then that she felt Reno's hands grab around her waist and spin her towards him. Next thing she knew, she was up against the wall, her eyes widened as his lips found hers. His tongue probed her mouth, wildly, passionately.

He broke the kiss and said breathlessly, "you are in so much trouble."

"I couldn't…"

"I don't give a damn, Laney. He could have killed you!" There was a fire behind his eyes. It scared her to see him this angry, but then, she was beginning to get used to it.

"I don't care about that," she admitted softly, taking his cheek into her small hand. "I was just afraid that he was going to kill you. I couldn't bear that, Reno. Life is all fine and good, but I don't think I could face it without you. In fact…I know I can't."

Before her eyes, his turquoise eyes softened, and then his lips were on hers again. A much sweeter kiss. His arms encircled her small frame and after the kiss was over, he grazed his lips across her cheek. She felt him smile but didn't say anything about it. Just reveled in the feel of being in his fond embrace.

"I thought I told you to get out of here!" Tseng's voice boomed, causing the happy moment to come to an end. They turned to see their boss and Rude rush down the stairs and turn the hall, passing them. "That Havre isn't human. I swear," he explained to Reno, who was now following them, pulling Elena along with him.

"What happened? He got away?"

"The man jumped," Rude said, obviously still in disbelief. "Just took Justus and leapt off the building."

"Then he's dead?" Elena asked hopefully.

"Afraid not, Elena," Tseng said. "He's jumping balconies. We have to catch him at the first level. Come, we have to hurry. Reno, Rude…take the stairs. Elena, come with me. We'll take the elevator."

"Sir," they all said. Rude rushed back towards the stairs. Reno squeezed Elena's hand before following him. Tseng grabbed Elena's elbow and yanked her into the elevator.

"Sir?" she asked curiously.

"Damn it, Elena. See what you've done? Do you realize how close they came to killing him? Had Rude not been there, Reno would have been shot, and then he wouldn't have hesitated to kill you afterward."

Elena stared down at the ground. "What was I supposed to have done?" she asked, her own eyes filling with anger.

"You were supposed to have stayed where you were. You were safe there."

"I will not hide!" she screamed. "I am a Turk for crying out loud. Not some damsel in distress. If Justus wants to kill me, that's his prerogative, but I'll be damned if I'm going to become a coward because of it."

"Justus is crazed," Tseng said. "He is determined to kill Reno. I worry that…"

"I won't let him!" Elena screamed, just as the doors opened.

"ELENA!" Tseng called after her. The petite blonde had taken off without warning and all Tseng could do was chase after her. He was knocked off balanced by a somebody passing him, just as Elena disappeared through the revolving doors. "ELENA!" he shouted again.

Outside, the smallest Turk looked skyward. Havre was on the second story balcony, Reno and Rude were on the fifth, going much slower. They finally landed on the ground, and it was then that Elena held out her gun and aimed straight at Havre. The bullet tore through the air with a loud crack, and the large man turned just in time to realize what had happened, but it was too late for him to stop it.

He was dead before he hit the ground. Justus stared at him for a moment in disbelief. Elena aimed her gun at him. "Elena!" she heard. She looked up. A mistake, and she knew it right away. Suddenly, she was on the ground, enduring the most horrible pain. He had tackled her, and now she stared down at the silver of the knife he'd just planted in her heart.

"For you…Elena," he whispered in her ear. He wrenched the knife about, and she cried out. The warm, crimson liquid was soaking into her shirt. One final twist. "Sorry it had to end this way. We could have been beautiful together." He yanked the knife from her chest and then fled.

"Oh Gods!" She wasn't sure how Tseng had gotten there. His hands were over her wound, pressing hard against it. "Elena…Elena?" She stared up into his dark eyes, tears now falling. "Can you hear me? Elena? Say something! Please!"

"It doesn't hurt so bad now," she whispered. His face paled. "Where's…where's Reno?"

Tseng turned around to check. He and Rude had just jumped from the balcony and were running towards them. Reno reached them first, dropping to his knees beside her. Rude wasn't too far behind, and he went around, kneeling by her head.

"Elena!" Reno cried, gathering her into his arms. Tseng's hands remained on her wound. Rude's hand went to her forehead, moving her bangs out of her face.

"Laney…you're going to be all right," he said unconvincingly.

"Yeah," Tseng agreed. "We're going to get you to a hospital. You've had worse injuries before, Elena. You'll pull through this one."

"Reno…I'm…cold," she whispered. "I think…this…"

"No, Elena. You're going to be fine," he insisted. "Believe me, okay."

"I suppose…this is how…I always wanted to go out. Flame and glory."

"Elena, stop," he shouted. "You're not going to die. Not today. Not for a long time. Do you understand me?"

"Reno, don't worry. It's just another adventure." She managed a smile, but then coughed. She tasted the metallic twang right away. Reno wiped the blood from her lips. "Just another adventure."

"No, Elena. Be strong. Just a little while longer. People have already called for help, babe. Just hang on. Please." Then softer, he added, "you're not allowed to go on this adventure alone, Elena. How can we be together if you leave me now?"

"I love you," she smiled.

More tears. "Elena, no, don't do this. Don't leave me. Gods, please. Elena, just hold on. I know it's hard, but try. For me. You told me earlier that if I were to die, you wouldn't be able to live on. Elena, I cannot live without you. You have somehow managed to possess my mind, my heart…even my soul. I cannot imagine a world without you, Laney. So, please, don't you die on me. Just hold on. Please."

"I'll…try…" she said, feeling herself lose consciousness. The last thing she heard was three voices, crying out at the same time, Elena!


	22. Nerve Agents and Moon Light

**Tengoko: Oh, I'm so sorry for taking so long. I don't know what happened with my time. I, stupidly, have begun another story. And, I've said it before, but in this case, writer's block was particularly hating me and I just couldn't figure out what to do. Well, I've solved the problem, after five different versions of this chapter. I hope you like this one. And, again, I'm so sorry to keep you all waiting. Thank you to everybody who's reviewed. Please, keep reviewing. Enjoy.  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 22: Nerve Agents and Moon Light  
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He didn't know why he'd come here. Perhaps it was because there was nowhere else to run. Maybe it was because he knew it was only a matter of time before they killed him. Well, it was both of those reasons. But, mainly, it was because this is where they'd died. The last place he'd seen both of them alive. The last place he'd kissed them good-night.

He walked slowly towards the stairway, the only part of the building that looked stable, and sat down on the steps. He buried his face in his hands and dropped his gun in the process. But, suddenly, he wrenched himself away from his palms and looked with horror at the blood. A mixture of his blood from where he finger had once been, and her blood from where he'd plunged the knife deep into her chest.

It was one of the hardest things he'd ever done. She looked so much like her. The wife that he'd lost in the explosion. For a second, when he'd looked into Elena's hazel eyes, he could have sworn he'd thought it was his Ame.

"Gods, what have I done?" he cried, stumbling to the ground, and pounding his fist on the hard ground. "What have I become?"

A few months ago, he'd never before killed a man. He was just a small member of a rebel faction meant to peacefully protest against the reinstatement of Rufus Shinra as the president of the newly rebuilt Midgar. Havre had convinced him to join, told him that it was for the best, that his family would benefit from it.

"How much longer do I have now?" he wondered aloud, picking his gun back up. "Can't be too long now. All they have to do is follow the trail of blood." He looked at where his finger had been shot off. While the flow of blood had slowed, it was still coming out. It hadn't even occurred to him to try to stop the bleeding.

Rising to his feet, he leaned his back against the wall and took in a deep breath. He heard footsteps approaching and knew exactly who it was. He didn't run. There was nowhere left to go. He just stood, waiting and thinking.

He heard the sound of a gun being cocked, and he shifted his head to find the source of it. He smiled when he saw Reno standing fifteen feet away, his gun raised, ready to kill him. Justus chuckled and raised his own gun. "How're we going to settle this, then?" he asked, pushing himself off the wall. "We both have nothing to lose. My family and my best friend have all been killed by your fucking organization, and…well…you never had much to begin with, but I took away the one person you've ever really cared about. So…what's death to men like us?"

"I am nothing like you, Justus, so don't compare the two of us." Reno looked very different than what Justus was used to. Usually he was a man who carried himself with an air of egoism and humor. And, then of course, there was the fact that he looked like the type of man not to mess with. Now, however, he looked like a man who'd been through hell and it'd gotten the best of him.

"You look like shit," Justus said after making the observation. "Is it possible that I've finally broken you?"

"Don't flatter yourself," Reno gritted. "Don't mistake me for somebody who's become weak. On the contrary…now is the time you don't want to piss me off. Though, no matter what you do, there really is no escape for you this time."

"Then, why waste time with this conversation? Why don't you just pull that damned trigger and kill me like you've been wanting to?"

Reno finally smiled, a cold, calculating smile. "Because I want you to suffer, Justus. Just pulling the trigger would end it much too quickly."

"Then allow me to end this," he hissed, cocking his own gun. But, before he could do anything, a gunshot ran through the destroyed building and ripped the pistol from Justus' hand. He looked quickly to the side and his eyes widened when he saw Rude walking towards them, his gun raised just like Reno's was.

"Did you honestly think that I'd let him come alone?" Rude asked.

"I was actually expecting all of you to come. After all, I did kill your favorite little Turk."

"You didn't kill her," came another voice. Tseng walked up behind Rude and Reno and put his hands on their shoulders, silently ordering them to lower their guns. "After everything that has happened, Justus, have you still not learned that Elena just won't give up without a fight?"

"She's not dead?" he exclaimed, his face paling.

"No," Tseng answered shortly, putting his hands behind his back. "And, that is something we plan on ensuring."

"We aren't going to let you hurt her ever again," Rude said.

"Her heroes 'til the end, I see," Justus smiled. "Oh well…at least I can take comfort in the fact that when she does die…her soul will rot in hell."

"Reno!" Tseng shouted, but there was no stopping what happened next. In seconds, Reno had lunged towards Justus and tackled him, making him hit the wall hard before falling to the floor. The red-head pinned him to the ground and then beat Justus across the face with his gun.

But, there was only so long that Reno could hold the advantage. Justus was a much bigger man. With a show of great strength, he was flung off of him, and Justus jumped to his feet and kicked him hard in the side.

Reno saw stars for a moment, not expecting it at all. He coughed, trying to get his breath back. Thankfully, Rude stepped in at that moment, and took Justus down again. It didn't look as if he'd be fighting. He just looked up at Tseng as if he were waiting for instructions.

Tseng helped Reno stand up and then told Rude to pick Justus up to his feet. Rude did as he was told , but he held onto Justus, his hand tightening around his arm.

"Don't let that happen again, Reno," Tseng said coolly. Then he turned back to look at Justus. "Now…as for you. Rufus Shinra has ordered all of us to bring you in…alive. He says that you are to be put on trial, and your conviction will fit the crime." There was a short pause. "I, however, do not want to take the chance that you could possibly be shown mercy. You are the last person that deserves that. You deceived me, managed to earn my trust on false pretenses, joined the most distinguished organization that Shin-Ra has to offer, and then betrayed us all. Worst off all, you used, wounded, and did everything you could to kill a person that means a lot to all of us."

"So…why don't you cut this all short and say you are going to kill me."

"Gods, man, you don't have to be that accommodating. Besides, I'm not planning on killing you. As it turns out, it seems that somebody else has promised you that they'd dispatch you."

"What?"

"I did warn you," Rude whispered.

"Wha…" Justus was suddenly flung back against the wall, his head cracking against the stone making his vision blur. He groaned aloud, but suddenly found that he couldn't breathe. Rude's gloved hands were around his neck.

"Should have made sure I was dead, you little bastard. It seems to be one of your biggest problems."

"Wait," Reno said, stepping forward and then holding his hand out to Tseng. "You said you brought it with you."

"I did," he nodded, reaching into his coat and handing Reno a small vial filled with an brown liquid. He saw Justus eyeing it warily, despite the fact that he was still trying to pry Rude's hands off of his throat. "You didn't really think we'd let you die so easily, did you?"

"Do you know what that is?" Rude asked. "It's called EA1205. A few years ago, a single drop of this stuff was spilled on a lab bench at the research and development agency. The two people who it affected needed three weeks to recover from it. See, what it did was make them experience miosis. You know what that is, don't you?"

"Stop teasing him," Tseng ordered. Rude turned to him, slightly upset that he couldn't continue with the verbal torture, and he lessened his grip without realizing it.

"It's when the pupils contract," Justus said with strained breath.

"So, he is smarter than he looks," Reno said, standing closer. "You see, after that…" he continued, ignoring Tseng's order to stop, "they became dizzy, and could barely breath. So, if one drop could do that…imagine what an entire vial could do. Well, you can pretty much assume it works like any other nerve agent."

"Well, in that case…it's either got to be inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Not in liquid form."

"Not as smart as I'd assumed. No. EA1205, while deadly when absorbed through the skin, is just as lethal when dropped in liquid form through in the eye. You'll have anywhere between a minute to ten minutes. Eventually, after you lose control of all your muscles, and the typical SLUD reaction occurs, you'll lose control of your respiration, and you'll die from asphyxiation."

Tseng shook his head. "Was all that necessary?"

"Yes," Rude said, tightening his hold again. "Look at him. He's afraid."

"I'm ready, Rude," Reno said.

"Be careful," Tseng said, removing three face masks from his jacket. "If we inhale any of the fumes, it's our asses, too. Don't let any on your skin."

Rude and Reno took two of the masks and put them on. Justus really began struggling now, and he tried his hardest to get out of Rude's hold. Finally, Rude just punched him, knocking him to the ground, and then pinned him to the ground by putting his foot on his chest. Tseng came forward and held his hands above his head allowing Reno to kneel down.

He reached into his pocket and grabbed a leather glove, folding it up and using it to pop the cork from the vial. He let both the glove and the cork fall to the floor before looking down at Justus.

"You'll never hurt anybody again," he promised. Justus closed his eyes tight, and gasped when he felt the cold liquid pouring down on him. He knew that it'd get through.

"Let's get out of here," Tseng said, letting go of his hands. Reno threw the vial against the wall and the three Turks quickly walked towards the exit, turning around when they were at a safe distance to watch. It didn't take long for the poison to take effect, and watching the young man die was one of the most difficult things to do, but they all did it. They all had to be sure that he was dead.

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She'd been awake for a while now. The nurse had opened the blinds to her window so she could look outside at the garden. The moon was up now, and the pale light shone into the room. She was urged to go back to sleep by the nurse, but there was no way she could sleep.

She sighed heavily before slowly sitting up and sliding off the bed. Even though she was still wearing her socks, she could feel how cold the floor was, but she didn't care. Grabbing the stand that her IV was on, she walked towards the window and looked up at the moon. "Reno," she said softly, putting her hand over her heart. It stung…more than stung actually. It still hurt when she breathed, but she knew she'd be fine.

Suddenly, the room was illuminated by a bright light, and she turned to see who was responsible for it. Her face literally lit up when she saw him in the doorway. He wasted no time crossing the space between them. His hand gripped her shoulders and he looked at her severely.

"Why aren't you in bed?" he asked, as though scolding her. "You should be resting, Laney." She smiled and reached up to put a hand to his cheek. He closed his eyes but then groaned irritably. "Damn it, don't do that. I'm still mad at you."

"I know," she said, still smiling. "Is he dead?"

"Yes," he nodded, putting his arms around her. "How are you feeling, babe?"

"About as well as can be expected," she said, looking up at him. "So…am I going to have to wait a few minutes, or are you going to kiss me hello already?"

Against his will, he chuckled. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Laney." He bowed his head down and pressed his lips to hers. After a few minutes where they just held each other and kissed, he looked down at her lovingly and said, "nothing will ever hurt you again, Elena. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

She giggled happily, kissing his cheek, and then taking both of his hands into hers. "You get so cute when you're being protective."

"Shut up," he whined, though he started laughing.

"I love you, Reno," Elena said.

Reno stopped laughing, and he kissed her again. "I love you too, Laney." He was about to kiss her again, but then there was a knock on the door, and the two of them turned to the doorway to see Tseng and Rude.

"What's going on?" Reno asked, knowing by the way that Tseng was standing that this wasn't a normal visit.

"Well, Justus' autopsy revealed to Rufus what we did. We have to go, Reno. He wants to talk to us."

"Already?" Reno asked, surprised. "I thought that those things took time."

"Well, Rufus was suspicious about his death. He knows us too well, it seems. Come on, Reno. Elena needs her rest anyway."

"How did you kill him?" Elena asked, slightly confused.

"I'll tell you about it later, babe. Tseng's right. You need to get some sleep." With those words, he kissed her good-bye and then joined the other Turks at the doorway. They waited for Tseng to close the door before speaking again. "So, has the shit hit the fan for us…again?"

"Well, I don't think he'll fire us," Tseng said. "He'd be stupid to. Still, I don't think he's been quite this mad in a long time. We could be facing a punishment worse than probation."


	23. Reeve's Rant

**Tengoko: I know it's been a long, long time since my last update. Finals literally beat me to exhaustion, but now I'm fully recovered and ready to tackle all my fan fiction-ing projects. Again, I am so sorry for keeping you waiting, but I hope these final chapters are worth it. Please, review. Thank you, and enjoy.  
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Rated M for language and romance  
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Chapter 23: Reeve's Rant  
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He was beyond angry. That much was obvious. The moment that their eyes met was when the explosion of exponential fury occurred. And now, there was nothing to do but wade out the storm, so to speak. He really was a complicated man to reason with when he was in fits like this, and he really was in no mood to attempt it. Still, no matter how hard he had tried, there a few things said that he just couldn't ignore.

Rufus leaned back in his chair and waited. Reeve could go on for hours if he wasn't stopped. It would take a bold man to try at the moment, though. He looked ready for murder, and Rufus had no doubt that the older man would derive much gratification from spilling the president's blood.

"Mr. Tetsui," he interjected, finding an opening in which to take advantage of. "I understand why you are upset. Nonetheless, it does no good to yell all this to me. I am very aware of the policies of this company, as it is _my_ company. So, I recommend you take a seat until they arrive."

Reeve's frown grew as his dark eyes stared daggers at the blonde man sitting across the desk. He snorted in disgust before saying, "you are just like your father was. Smug, snide… and utterly useless. Face it, Rufus, you are nothing more than a figure head for this city. While people like me work our asses off in the background, you sit up in this very pretentious office and take credit for our hard work."

"I think you fail to realize how much power I actually have, Mr. Tetsui."

"But, as the new Minister of Executive Review, I have the power to take it away. You know very well what I can do if I think for one second you are abusing your power. And, you know, Rufus, I have been very lenient in the past. I know that you have still been sending the Turks on missions that involve murder, espionage, and other things of that nature."

"I have fully handed control of the Turks to the head of that organization. If you question the ethics of their work, then I suggest you take it up with Tseng. I have no say in the matter."

"That's bull and you know it. Handing over the agency to Tseng was all for show. We all know that the Turks are still in your pocket, that they still look at you as though you were their boss."

Rufus cleared his throat, his frustration with this man nearly spilling over the edge. "I believe you have forgotten your place, Reeve." He rose from his chair slowly and returned the cold stare that he had to endure. "You may have the power to strip me of my presidency, but you must have forgotten that you have yet to do that. It cannot be done without a cause, and I am more than certain that you are lacking one right now."

"You have been secretly funding the research and production of a neuro-toxin, a nerve agent that could potentially be used in biological warfare. It is my duty to make sure that this does not happen."

"Where is your proof? Even if you knew where my personal funds were going, there is no evidence that this… what was it… EA1205 would be used as a tool for mass destruction. You see, the key word is potentially. Potentially is not actuality. It is purely theoretical. So, until you can produce substantial evidence that states that I am indeed supporting a biological weapon, then I am afraid you have no power over me."

Reeve was about to counter that, but then the doors to Rufus' office swung open, and the two men snapped their attention to the three men that had just let themselves in. Rufus motioned for them to have a seat, but that gesture had been ignored. The three pairs of eyes had yet to leave Reeve.

"I see the sheep have finally returned to their shepherd," he said derisively.

"I miss what you are implying, Reeve," Tseng said coldly.

"I think you know very well what I mean. You live off of Rufus' words. You do whatever he asks without a thought as to what the consequences may be. And, in this case, Tseng, the consequences are dire."

Tseng chuckled and shook his head. "You think you have us all figured out, don't you? You think that we cannot make our own decisions without the help from Shinra? Well, I hate to disappoint you, but what happened with Justus Marquis happened _without_ the president's knowledge. In fact, he had ordered us to bring him in alive, presumably to give him a proper trial."

"Then why did you disobey orders?" Reeve demanded.

"My how quickly you jump from one ship to another," Reno said. "One moment you were angry with us for always obeying him, and now you are angry because we didn't."

"_I_ am angry because you didn't" Rufus yelled, drawing the attention of the three Turks. "I understand that you have your own agenda. However, I expected my wishes to be carried out. There are reasons why Marquis needed to remain alive."

"A man like that should not be allowed to live!" Reno yelled, taking an unintentional step closer. "We did this city a favor by killing him."

"That is not for you to decide!" Reeve shouted back.

"Like hell it wasn't!"

"Reno!" It wasn't his name being shouted that finally diverted the attention of the red-headed Turk. It was more that Rude had been the one doing that shouting that had him stop advancing on Reeve. "I believe doing harm to the Minister of Executive Review would be imprudent."

"I'm curious," Tseng said, having paid no attention to the exchange between Reno and Reeve. "How is it that you found the cause of his death so soon? Why, he can't have been dead for more than eighteen hours now."

"After all these years, you don't remember? We fought in the war together, Tseng. We saw all those people die. You and I know first hand what nerve toxins do to people. Yes, we know all too well. One look at the scene of his death made it clear. The drool, the excrement, the tears… I know he had just experienced the SLUD reaction. I just didn't know exactly what type of agent caused it."

"And how did you go about finding it out?"

"There are many people who will talk when presented with the right form of persuasion."

"Meaning… you bribed them?" Rufus asked, his blonde brow raising a fraction. "That, Mr. Tetsui, is grounds for my own investigation."

"Of course I didn't bribe them!" he shouted in defense. "There is a difference between paying for their help and bribery."

"This is all beginning to give me a headache," Tseng said, rubbing his temples. "Let's make this short and sweet. Reeve, the president had nothing to do with the death of Justus Marquis. If you want somebody to blame, blame me. And, as far as the production of EA1205, there really is no grounds for an investigation. There is no law forbidding it's mass production. As long as it hasn't been used as a tool of terror, which I can assure you it hasn't been, then he has committed no crime."

"You used it to kill a man… horrifically I might add. And you aren't calling it a tool of terror."

"It was a means to an end."

"I'd expect you to say that. You being what you are."

"And what exactly am I?"

Reeve considered his words for a moment. "You are lacking in humanity. You've no conscience, no soul. You don't care who you kill, how you kill them. As long as you achieve your goal, you don't care how it's achieved."

"You make my job sound so simple," Tseng said dryly. "I like to think of myself as loyal rather than inhumane. I will do anything for the good of Midgar. I've gone to war for Midgar. I've denounced my Wutain heritage and taken up the Midgar Banner as my own. I pledged my life, my service. If it means that I have to kill for Midgar, than I will not question it."

Rufus sighed heavily, drawing attention back to him. "Reeve, I do believe that there is nothing left to say. If you still want to do an investigation, then by all means, go ahead. But, I think you'll find it to be a waste of time. Now, if that is all, may you please show yourself to the door. I have some other matters to tend to with the Turks."

Reeve said nothing. He glared angrily at Rufus for a few seconds, and then pushed his way between Reno and Rude to get to the door. It closed with a heavy slam and then left the room in a very eerie silence.

"I consider myself a very patient man," Rufus said, returning to his chair. "But, you gentlemen have finally found it's limits. Honestly, I practically give you three the freedom to do whatever it is you want. I only ask that you follow orders when given. If you cannot even do that, then I wonder whether or not you can be trusted in future endeavors."

"I did what I thought needed to be done," Tseng said quietly.

"There was no way we would have let him live," Reno added. "After everything he's done. After what he put Laney… I mean, Elena through. He could have killed Rude. He's only standing here now because of luck. How could you ask for us to let him live?"

"Sometimes, Reno, you have to look at the bigger picture. It's not just about vendettas or personal attacks. Politics matter."

"Fuck your politics!" Reno shouted. "He tried to kill her! Do you realize how close he came? I would have lost her! I could have lost my best friend! And, screw you for caring more about the politics than about the people who have constantly backed you!"

"You don't think I care about Elena? I think I have proven time and again that I do. Why do you think I tried to assign her with Justus?"

"I don't know. Why?"

"To keep her the hell away from a bastard like you."

"Don't you dare!" Tseng shouted, reaching for Reno's elbow before he could draw his gun. "Don't be stupid, Reno! Rude, get him out of here. I will speak with Rufus." Tseng waited until Rude escorted Reno out before saying another word. "Please don't fire him for that. That reaction was to be expected."

"It was fairly predictable of him," Rufus said shrugging. "I don't intend to punish him for that. But, speaking of punishment, it does remind me of why you three were summoned here in the first place."

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"Calm down," Rude said for the sixth time. He reached his hand out and forcefully grabbed Reno's shoulder to stop him from pacing. Reno balled his hand into a fist and looked ready to punch him, but Rude merely threw him into a chair, though a little harder than he had meant to throw him. "You really need to control your anger during times like that."

"Well, who the hell does he think he is, saying things like that to me? He knows how much Elena means to us."

"Us?"

"I know you care about her, too, Rude."

"I will admit, I have come to think of her as family. But, that really is no excuse to fly of the handle like you just did. I mean, for god's sakes, he's the damn president. You just don't pull a gun on him. Tseng would have shot you on the spot."

"Yeah… I guess I should have though that one through a little bit," Reno chuckled, his wily grin coming back. "How pissed do you think he is?"

"I think he understands."

Then, as if summoned, the door opened one last time. Tseng slowly made his way towards the two of them and stopped once he got beside Rude. He scratched the back of his head, cleared his throat and smiled. "Well… it could have been worse."

"What?" Rude and Reno asked at once.

"On the bright side, we haven't been fired. But… until further notice… there really is no reason to show up for work  
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**Tengoko: In case you are wondering, this is not the final chapter. The next chapter, however, will be. **


	24. The Plot Thickens

**Tengoko: Hi there, everybody. Sorry for taking such a huge amount of time before updating the final chapter. I've been so busy with all my projects lately, I haven't even had time to work on my novel. But, it's here now, and with summer fast approaching, I hope that updating my other stories and getting the second part to A Turk series will be more expedient. **

**That said, I would like to take a moment to express my deep saddness for the events that took place at Virginia Tech. I cannot believe that something like this could happen. I am a college student, and up until recently, I never could have thought that the campus I am on could be anything other than safe. Something like this just shatters everything that we had assumed in the past. I am deeply upset that this has happened, and I cannot begin to express how sorry I am for the family and friends of the victims. My thoughts and prayers are with all of them and with all those who have been shaken by this act of violence.  
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Rated M for language and violence  
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Chapter 24: The Plot Thickens  
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She couldn't look away. The horrendous blemish that now scarred her left breast was so blatantly present and so obviously ugly that she just couldn't bring herself to look anywhere else. For a moment, she entertained the idea of lifting her white towel higher over her breasts so that the mark would be hidden, but instead, she lowered the cloth and gently ran her fingers over the soft scar.

Her fingertips were dry now, but the rest of her skin was kissed with drops of water that lingered from the shower she'd just taken. Her hair was dripping water onto her shoulders, and from there, the water slowly streamed down, slowing a little over her collar bone, and then speeding up to drip over the curve of her breast before being caught by the fibers of her towel.

Everybody told her that the wound had healed rather nicely. The stitches had been removed only a week before and her scar was now just a mass of discolored skin that would perhaps diminish but never completely disappear. It appeared to be in the shape of a distorted star, due to the fact that the blade had twisted and gnarled her skin, but it could have been a lot worse.

She stepped closer to the mirror to examine it more closely. There really was no reason for doing this. She'd stared at it every night before going to bed. She could describe every detail of the scar and envisioned it before closing her eyes. It just was to hideous to put out of her mind.

Before that thought could really tear at her, though, she heard the sound of her front door opening followed by the softer sound of keys being thrown onto her coffee table. She was actually rather surprised. Reno usually didn't come over until later when she was already asleep. Ever since the suspension of the Turks, they've been off doing private missions for Tseng that 'were in no way affiliated with Shin-Ra' (at least that's what they were telling Reeve).

Reno's footsteps grew closer, and she quickly toweled off her damp skin before pulling on her robe. By the time he'd opened the bathroom door, she'd already tied her belt and was reaching for the comb to brush her hair.

He looked exhausted and a little irritated, but the moment his eyes met hers, his mouth crept into a boyish smile and all signs of frustration dissipated. He leaned casually against the doorpost and crossed his arms as he took in the sight of her. Pretending to be oblivious of the affectionate stare he was throwing her way, she continued to comb through her silken, blonde strands.

"How was work?" she asked, setting the comb down and reaching for her toothbrush.

"I wasn't at work today, baby. Remember? I'm on suspension. I was just enjoying a little… outing… with Rude and Tseng. Nothing more, nothing less." He chuckled as she rolled her eyes dismissively. "How was your day?"

"Boring," she confessed, applying toothpaste to the bristles. "I miss being at work. And, if you were here more I don't think it would be too bad. But, I just have to wait until Tseng or Rufus think it's all right for me to return to work, I suppose."

"You know that if I could, I would be here with you every minute, Laney."

She could only nod at his comment. The toothbrush in her mouth served as an effective inhibitor for speech, but Reno waited patiently for her to finish. She placed her toothbrush back in the holder when she was done and then turned to face him. "The minutes that you are not here only make the minutes that you are even more special."

Reno's smile faded as soon as those words left her lips. His eyes darkened a shade and he pushed himself out of his casual stance and quickly closed the distance between the two of them. In a matter of seconds, he took her into his arms, pressed his lips to hers, and engaged her in a passionate kiss that simply took her breath away. The kiss was only broken when Reno decided his lips were needed elsewhere, and Elena had no reservations about lifting her chin to give him better access to her neck.

Her arms held him close to her as his lips nipped at the skin on her throat. His breath, which was now quick and heavy, tickled her, causing her to giggle which, for the moment, seemed to bring Reno back to reality.

"How did I do it?" he asked himself as he stared down at her.

"Do what?" she pressed.

"How did I go all those years without realizing how incredibly beautiful you are?"

That was exactly what she needed to hear right now. Especially after staring at her scar for so long. Elated, she pulled him back into a heated kiss. He was surprised by her passion but had no qualms about the kiss itself. In fact, he seemed very disappointed when the kiss ended.

"I take it I won't be sleeping tonight?" he said knowingly, holding her closer.

"You may be able to…" she began. "But I wouldn't put money on it."

His delighted laughter echoed in the bathroom. "I suppose I'll have to do my best then to keep up with you tonight, love."

She smiled slyly before pulling out of his embrace and walking towards the door. He stared after her and his eyes widened as soon as she dropped the robe to her feet. The sight of her never failed to excite him, even if he had seen her like this before. He already felt himself begin to stir and his desire for her was beginning to overwhelm him.

"It looks like you are already behind." She walked further into the bedroom, leaving him alone to anticipate what was to come later. It didn't take long for him to follow her and find out. In the end, he didn't really mind missing out on his much needed sleep. For there was something that he needed much more. Much more than food, much more than water, much more than air. He needed her. And she in turn needed him.

They fell asleep just as the sun began to rise. They held each other lovingly. "I love you," was said softly by both of them. But, they didn't need to say it for it to be known. It was in the way that they held each other. In the way that they looked at each other. The love was obvious. But, it always felt nice to hear it anyway.

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It was still dark out. The sun was only now beginning to cast it's rays of light onto the otherwise darkened sky. There weren't many people walking the streets yet. Not many children out playing with one another. It was a typical morning in Midgar. Only, she wouldn't know this. She was usually home at the hour.

She stood alone beneath a lamp post, a deep purple cloak was hiding the better portion of her face, but her long, raven-black hair whipped about in the wind from underneath the silky material. She trembled in the cold, early morning air, but it was not the temperature that had her shivering.

She rubbed her hands together before crossing her arms across her chest. It was a few moments later that she heard the distant sound of footsteps. They were getting closer, and while she knew who was coming, or who should be coming at least, it did nothing to calm the nerves that were going haywire in her stomach.

"Why did you call me here?" her voice snapped. It sounded strange, as though she was not used to being this unpleasant. "Listen, this had better be quick. I have to get back home to our son."

"This will not take long, Lavinia," said a man who had at last stepped out of the shadows and into view. At that, she lowered her cloak and stared at him hard with her gray, stormy eyes. "There is a matter that must be discussed."

"I will not do you anymore favors," she snarled. "I have done all that I am going to do. I will play no part in your underhanded schemes any longer. Maybe that life was okay before our son was born. But it's not anymore. I have to look out for Hunter. I can't afford to put him in the kind of environment that will come if I let you back into my life. It's one thing to get yourself killed, but when it involves him, it's a totally different issue."

He chuckled as he lit a cigarette and put it to his lips. "I have not come to debate the terms of our divorce, Lavinia. I have accepted long ago that I have lost you. And, I have also accepted that Hunter is out of my grasp. However, your talents are too great to ignore."

"I have long been out of your sort of work, Walter," she said, turning her back to him.

"You will be out of my sort of work when I tell you that you are," he chuckled. "It is only through my financial help that you have been able to clothe our son and put food in his stomach. Do you honestly think that the job you have now, that being a seamstress will be enough to keep a roof over his head?"

She paused for a moment and then turned back slowly. Her mouth opened a fraction before she balled her hands into a fist. "Are you threatening me with my own son?"

"Just for this last time, I need your help. Then I will be out of your life forever. That is, personally speaking. I will continue to send you gil and whatever means you need until you get back onto your feet. Look, Lavinia… I don't see how you have any other choice."

She looked down at her feet and closed her eyes. She couldn't help but agree with him. Her fare was meager at best, and there would be no way she could pay the rent for the house she was living in on just her salary alone. If it was just her that they were talking about, she wouldn't be so concerned, but she couldn't let her Hunter live out on the streets. He was just a little boy.

"What do you need me to do?" she asked miserably.

"I need you to help me get rid of the Turks."

She shook her head at first. That man that she'd just met, Rude, he was a Turk. Though she didn't know him all that well yet, she did not want to ruin things by going against him and his organization. "Why do you want me to do that?"

"They killed my brother, Lavinia." His voice was so bitter, as it should be for somebody suffering from a loss. But, there was hatred in his eyes. This was purely a mission of vengeance, nothing like the underhanded dealings he usually made with the street urchins and mob peons. And, unlike the other times, in this case, he was going after the big boys, so to speak.

"Havre is dead?"

"Yes. And the Turks will pay dearly for it." His laughter was chilling. Lavinia had serious doubts about this one. An ill feeling settled deep in her stomach. She gripped the tiger's eye jewel that hung from a chain around her neck and began to walk away. "Remember, my dear," Walter called after her. "If you change your mind, I will make sure that your son's chances of survival will drop dramatically."

That sealed it. She had no choice but to help him.  
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**Tengoko: Well, there it is. A Turk in Trouble finally finished. I hope you have all enjoyed reading it, and hope that this cliff-hanger will inspire you to read the next part of the series: A Turk in Doubt. Thank you all for the feedback, and please review. I really love hearing from you guys.**


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